Where Life takes Us
by GinnyGal
Summary: Lily finally gets to go to hogwarts, after five years of being home schooled. Lily has a dark secret only her best friend knows, but what happens when James finds out about it? a JL fic, my first. R
1. Chapter 1

**A/N- this is my first fic, so please R&R to tell me what you think. Enjoy.**

**Where Life takes us.**

**Chapter 1: Hogwarts at last**

_"Your late" Lily's mother said pointing at the big clock on the wall, it showed that it was seven and two minutes._

_"I'm sorry, but it's only two minutes." Lily said dryly._

_"You are never to be late again, even if it is by a second 'only'" said Robert, emphasizing the only. "After diner you are to go to your room and I shell come up and see to it that you are punished for your lateness and rudeness to your mother. Now sit down, we are about to begin our meal." He said in a cold voice. _

* * *

_The door opened and Robert got in. "Now, for your punishment." He pushed her from her sitting position to a lying position. "Ley face down!" he said angrily._

_Lily, scared of the angry man, did as she was told._

_Then, she felt a sudden pain on her back; it was so painful and surprising. The teenager screamed in pain as the belt hit her across the back again, it kept coming, for a few minutes, then Robert grabbed her by her hair and pulled her of the bed, tears came streaming down from her emerald eyes._

_"Stop crying" the man shouted "Stop crying, you little brat, stop being a baby._

_He shoved her to the wall. As her head hit the wall, she slid down to the floor and curled into a ball._

_"I SAID STOP CRYING, YOU IDIOT. DO AS YOU ARE TOLD!" he kicked her hard._

The sixteen years old Lily woke up, covered in sweat, her emerald eyes watering and her face as pale as the sheets on her bed.

As she moved into a sitting position, she felt sudden pain in her side, and then the Memories of the previous night drowned her. She clenched her side and lay back down on the bed lowly; she felt the torn flash on her back burning in pain.

She looked at the alarm clock on her bedside table. It was two in the morning, in an hour she had her tutoring session with her next door neighbour.

She got up and got into the shower. The hot water made the pain unbearable for any normal human being, but Lily was used to that, being in such pain for over five years now.

She got out of the shower and got dressed, checking if her any of her ribs got broken. none of them were, luckily.

* * *

At five to three am Lily climbed down the pipe next to her bedroom window. 

She walked over to the house next door and smiled to herself as she remembered how she came to know the Hiresons.

**-Flash back- **

An owl came into the eleven year old Lily's room.

_That's weird _she thought,_ an owl in broad daylight_.

Then she noticed it had a letter tided to its leg. She scrambled of her bed and over to the owl to try and grab the letter from him. To her surprise, it gave the letter to her and then flow off out of the window.

Lily opened the letter and read it-

_Dear Miss Evans,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_You will find that there is a list for your school equipment, and where is the best place to find it on the other side of this parchment._

_The Train will leave the station King's Cross, Platform 9 3/4 on the 1__st__ of September. _

_Sincerely,_

_Deputing Headmistress, Professor McGonagall. _

When Lily finished, her jaw fell open, she just couldn't believe it.

She quickly got up and went downstairs to ask her mother. But her mother refused, she couldn't send her daughter to learn some 'stupid magic tricks from a bunch of freaks' was what she said.

Just then the doorbell rang and the butler went to open it.

In the doorway stood a very pretty woman, tall with long honey colour hair and blue eyes. Next to her was a small girl, about Lily's age, with the same hair, eyes and face that the woman had.

"Hello, my name is Mary Hireson, the next door neighbour and this is my daughter Alice." The woman said, "We came here because we herd that you just moved into the neighbourhood and wanted to welcome you."

Lily looked the two over and suddenly she saw a letter sticking out of Alice's pocket with the same green writing as hers. She tried to signal to them behind her mother's back. She didn't want her mother to know about Alice going to Hogwarts, and understood that Mary was a Witch as well, by the wand that was just sticking out of her pocket.

Alice noticed her and got the message.

"I just saw…" Mary began but trailed of s Alice tagged at her skirt. She bent down and Alice whispered something. Nodding, Mary continued, "I just sew your daughter out the window and thought I should come and introduce my little girl, I have a feeling they are going to be very good friends." She finished.

Rachel, Lily's mother, smiled coldly. "Lily, why don't you go and play with Alice outside.

Lily walked with Alice to the backyard.

"So, I see you got the letter as well." Lily said quietly, looking at her feet.

"Yes, we saw the owl fly into your house and came over, we thought you were a wizardry family as well. Why didn't you want us to mention your letter?" Alice asked.

"My mother doesn't want me to go. She says she couldn't send her daughter to learn some 'stupid magic tricks from a bunch of freaks'" Lily made the same face her mother had. Alice laughed and then her expression went bitter.

"You mean you're not going?"

"Once my mother says something, it goes, and there is no chance she'll change her mind." Lily said "and if I disobey her my stepfather punishes me."

"Wait, how about my mom tutors you, and then you can still become a witch?" Alice said.

"I'd like that" Lily said, "I really do want to be a witch".

Alice spoke with her mother about it, and it was agreed that Lily would be secretly tutored by Mrs. Hireson.

Mrs. Hireson sent an owl to the headmaster of Hogwarts and it has been ranged with the ministry that Lily could do magic out side the school even though she was underage, and the tests of each year would be sent to her.

-End of Flashback-

The door opened and smiling at her, the sixteen year old Alice stepped aside to let Lily in.

"I'm glad you came, mom is going to teach you something really important today and we got your results for the O.W.L.s you finished a week ago." Alice said and handed her an envelope.

Lily stared at it.

"Well don't just stand there, open it" Mrs. Hireson said as she came in the room.

Lily did as she was told.

"Well?..." Alice asked impatiently.

"I got twelve O's." Lily said handing the paper over to her friend smiling.

"That's great!" Alice hugged her, as did Mrs. Hireson.

"What doe's the letter say?"

Lily opened the letter and read it quietly.

"It says that if I attend Hogwarts this year I can be Quiddich Captain, since the coach of our girls Quiddich teem recomended me, after that match on Sunday, saiding I was the best one there and he hasn't seen anyone better in any of the school matches he wet to watch. I really can't agree with that, but whatever."

"Lily! You have to come to school this year!" Alice cried, hugging her friend tightly.

"Ow, Alice I told never to do that." Lily winced.

"Sorry…"

"Here, drink this." Mrs. Hireson handed Lily a goblet.

Lily drank it and the pain was gone. "Thank you" she said quietly.

"Glad to help" Mary said "I heard the screams…" She trailed off.

"That's it!" Lily cried "If my 'parents'" she practically spat the word parents "think that someone knows about what they are doing to me, they would want to get me away, so that someone doesn't get any evidence of what they are doing, and I would refuse to go anywhere else but Hogwarts, they wouldn't have a choice, they would have to send me to Hogwarts!" Lily said all that so quickly, it was very hard to understand. "I can't believe I didn't think of that before!"

"We could try that…"Mary said thoughtfully.

* * *

Over the next few days, Lily planned and replanned how her parents would find out the Hiresons know about them beating her up almost daily. 

On Sunday afternoon, Mrs. Hireson came over to the Williams' house (Lily's stepfather was Robert Williams, but Lily kept her real name, Lily Isabella Evans) for an afternoon tea with Lily's mother.

Rachel decided to make friends with Mary Hireson because her high place in society, she was friends with very important and famous people. That was the only reason Lily got the chance to stay friends with Alice, without it being a secret.

"How are you today, Rachel?" Mary asked, fighting to keep her voice from sounding bitter.

"Oh, very well, thank you. It is a lovely day today." Rachel said dryly.

"How is your daughter?" Mary asked, trying to stay casual, but wanting to get it over with quickly.

"She's well. Didn't you see her this morning?" Rachel asked, knowing that Lily went over to be with Alice that very morning.

"Yes, I did, and she looked unusually pale. She also had a blood stain on her sleave." Rachel went pale, but it was gone very soon.

The continued to talk, sipping their tea, but not for long. Mary made an excuse and left, to Rachel's great relief.

* * *

Lily was leaning on the doors of her stepfather's study. She tried to listen what was going on inside. 

_"Robert, we need to do something, Mary Hireson is suspicious_._"_ Lily heard her mother saying, panic in her voice.

_"Relax Rach, she doesn't have any prove." _Robert said dryly.

_"We have to get rid of Lily, if she stays to long, Mary would find a way to prove that we are beating Lily, and then we are done for. I really think we should get her out of the house, boarding school or something, just get her away."_ Rachel said.

_"Well, I wanted to get rid of her from the beginning, so, why not. I'm tired of her; it would be like getting rid of a bourdon."_ Robert said.

_"Good, so I would go and look for a boarding school as far away s possible." _Lily heard footsteps getting closer to the door and she hurried back to her bedroom.

* * *

The next morning, Lily walked into the dinning hall for breakfast. 

"Lily, what are you doing here?" her mother asked, clearly surprised.

"I came to have some breakfast, mother," she said, as if it was very obvious, even though she knew it wasn't. Lily didn't have breakfast for the last five years, ever since she moved into her stepfather's house. She only came down to have dinner. Her body got used to that after two months or so.

"Well, I'm glad you are here," she posed, looking up to see her daughter's reaction to the words, but Lily's face showed no emotion, so she continued, "I wanted to inform you that your Robert and I had a discussion last night and decided you are to go to a boarding school wen your school year starts, instead of staying here and home school."

"And my I ask why that is?" Lily asked, well trained in hiding her thoughts.

"Well…" Rachel trailed off and looked at Robert for help.

"No, you may not, it is none of your business, it is our decision and since we are your legal guardians, we get to do as we please." Robert snapped.

"Fine, may I at least know where am I going to go?" Lily made a desperate face, which fooled her mother straight away.

"You are going to attend High hill high school." Her mother said.

"No," Lily said simply, shaking her head "no, I won't"

"I beg your pardon?" Robert asked, in complete shock.

"I said I won't go." She said slowly.

"Of course you are" Rachel said.

"No, I'm not, you see, I know why you are sending me away," she observed their stunned faces in satisfaction, "In fact, I recorded your conversation last night." Lily took a tape out of her pocket and played it. On it was the same conversation she heard in her Robert's study.

When it finished, she sew her parents' face go paler.

"Now, I do agree to go to a boarding school," she took out the letter she reserved from Hogwarts when she was eleven. "But, I am not going anywhere but Hogwarts." Rachel looked puzzled, but when she saw the letter, her face went dark.

"No way, not a chance you are going to…" her mother begun, but trailed off when she saw Lily waving the tape in her hand.

"It does give you some advantages, though," Lily said, "No one can find me in the magic world, so they can't get anything to prove."

"Fine." Robert said shortly, "as long as you are out of here."

Lily had a victory grin spread across her face as she hurried upstairs to owl Dumbledore, telling him that she is going to attend Hogwarts that year after all, then she would go to tell Alice and then they would go shopping for her school equipment.

This year is going to be the best year ever.


	2. Chapter 2

**A\N- thank you for the review awesome-55! Here's the second chapter.**

**Chapter 2: The Sorting**

Albus Dumbledore sat at the feast, looking down at the new coming first years that were being sorted into their houses.

It was towards the end of the sorting that Mary Hireson came in from a small door next to the teachers' table and whispered in his ear.

"The new girl, Lily Evans, has just arrived by floo, she preferred to come with me and not on the train for personal reasons." she said.

Dumbledore got up and followed Mrs. Hireson into the room she just came from.

There, sitting in a chair and looking very nervous, sat probably the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on, with long silk like deep red hair, and amazing emerald green eyes, her skin was pale and tender.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" he said cheerfully, looking into her eyes, she quickly looked away, "if you don't mind following me, I would show you to the line were you are to be sorted into your house."

"Um, sir, if you don't mind, I would prefer to be sorted here, I don't think I'll feel comfortable, standing between the first years, would that be okay?" she asked quietly and politely.

"Of course you can, it is completely understandable." He said. "Wait here. If you'll excuse me, I'll go and give the welcoming speech, and send someone with the sorting hat." He hurried out of the room.

The sorting has just ended, so he walked over to Professor McGonagall.

Please go into that room, there is a new student, starting sixth year, which needs to be sorted, her name is Lily Evans." He muttered to her before turning to the sea of faces and starting his welcoming speech.

In the meanwhile, McGonagall walked into the room.

She marched over to Lily and said "I am Professor McGonagall, I am going to place this hat over your head and you shell be sorted into your house."

Lily felt the hat slip over her head. It started muttering things but she couldn't hear, she was too busy worrying if she would be in the same house as Alice or not.

Then, all her worries disappeared as she here the hat shout "Gryffindor!".

* * *

"Now, tuck in everyone!" Albus Dumbledore concluded his speech, as food appeared on the tables. There was a buzz in the Great Hall.

Then, there was a shout coming from the side door next to the teachers table, "Gryffindor!". Silence fell over the Great Hall.

Everyone knew it was the sorting hat, but the sorting was over, and who was ever sorted in the side room?

"What was that?" asked someone in the Gryffindor table. It was a sixteen year old boy, with a jet of messy black hair and hazel eyes, which were hidden behind a pair of round wire glasses.

As the boy looked up at Professor Dumbledore, he found him smiling, obviously aware of what was going on. "You shell find out very soon, Mr. Potter, very soon,"

* * *

Professor McGonagall left the room, after conjuring a plait full of sandwiches, and after giving Lily her prefect badge (she was made a prefect, because none of the girls in the sixth year Gryffindor seemed to be suitable for the position, besides Alice, and she didn't want it), her Quiddich Captain badge, and the password to the Gryffindor common room.

Lily ate quickly, said goodbye to Mrs Hireson, and left the room by another door that led to the Entrance Hall She walked over to where McGonagall told her the portrait of the fat lady was, and got into the common room.

She walked upstairs to where she thought was the girls' dorms.

Lily climbed into the bed that had L.E. carved in big letters over it. She lay there, looking up at the sealing, not wanting to fall asleep in case she gets nightmares about the last beating, which was just a few hours age.

Since that morning a month ago, when Lily finally convinced her parents to let her go to Hogwarts, the beating went up to the rate of twice a day, each and every day, most of them just for fun (if you can call that fun), not even punishment, of for the most random things, like looking at one of her parents in a way they didn't like.

She felt her eye filling with tears, but she fought them down. She took the bottle Mrs. Hireson gave her, it had a dreamless potion in it and it was supposed to last for two weeks. She took a sip and then felt herself go sleepy, finally she fall asleep.

**A\N- Sorry this chapter is really short, I hope you liked it. More updates soon****. R&R, please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The New Quiddich Captain**

Lily woke up at four thirty, coved in sweat. Apparently the dreamless sleeping draft wore off, because she was having a nightmare.

So, knowing there is no way she would be able to get back to sleep, Lily got out of bed, got dressed and went for a jog around the lake.

An hour later, she returned to the dorm and walked over to Alice's bed, shaking her awake.

"Whoa' do you want? Go away, wanna sleep." Alice grumbled and stirred, turning her back to Lily.

"Alice, wake up!" hearing Lily's voice, Alice shot out of bed and hugged her friend.

"You're in Gryffindor! Now we get to be in the same classes, share a dorm and everything!" she said loudly as Lily winced in pain. "Oh, sorry…" Alice let her go.

"Alice, I need your makeup cit, my beloved stepfather" Lily spat those two words "gave me two black eyes, and a nasty looking bruise over my left chick, not to mansion the cut on the other chick. I can't stand the concealing charm, it itches."

Alice pulled out the makeup cit. "go, take a shower, and I will do your makeup."

Lily did as she was told. After pulling on her school uniform over her slim figure, making sure that the collar hid the long scar that went from her neck, and down, stretching across her right arm, she walked back into the dorm, drying her hair her hair magically with her wand, making it curly.

"Sit!" Alice told her, pointing at a chair next to the table in the corner of the room. Lily did so and Alice started working.

Half an hour later, Lily looked at herself in the mirror and gasped, "Alice, from now on you're my official makeup artist!"

"So you like it?"

"I love it, it's better then the concealing charm." Lily declared

Alice squealed, and ran into the shower to get ready herself.

* * *

At seven o'clock, Lily and Alice walked down to the Great Hall to have breakfast, well Alice was going to have breakfast, Lily just came to keep her some company and get he schedule.

The Great Hall was almost empty, as the two girls walked in talking and laughing, some faces that saw Lily, stared at her, wondering who the new girl was.

They sat down, and Alice started eating. Lily just got some toast and some orange juice.

"You should eat something" Alice stated, as the Great Hall started to fill up.

"I am eating," Lily said, pointing at her toast.

No, I mean eat some real breakfast for a change, the food in Hogwarts is really good," and then she added "and you are making me feel fat, I eat so much and you don't touch a thing."

"Alice, you're not fat, besides, you know I never…" Lily trailed off, seeing the glare she was getting from Alice, "Fine."

Alice smiled with satisfaction as her friend grubbed some bacon and started munching on it.

Suddenly, a cloud of owls flew into the room Lily looked up in fascination as the owls dropped the mail on the tables in front of their owners.

"Finally, mail's here." Alice muttered as an owl landed next to her plait.

She grubbed the letter she got from her mother and put the news paper aside.

"Can I borrow this?" Lily asked, holding up the news paper. Alice nodded, and Lily sank behind the paper.

"Hey, Hireson, did Longbottom ask you out yet or are you going to duck under the table whenever he passes by all year?" came a teasing voice from above them. Lily didn't bother to look up.

"Get lost Potter!" Alice said.

"Why should I?" James Potter asked cheekily, flopping down in front of them, as did his three friends, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew.

"Because I will curse you into the next month if you don't." Lily muttered from behind the _Prophet_, catching quickly Alice didn't like that boy.

James spat out the juice he was drinking as he burst out laughing. When he calmed down, he asked "and who might you be?"

Lily folded the paper carefully, and then looked straight into his eyes, her expression unreadable. "Lily Isabella Evens."

"Well, Evans, you must know you are messing with the wrong person." James said, trying as hard as he could not to show the stunned expression on his face as he saw the most amazing green eyes ever, bearing inside him and looking straight into his soul.

"Fine, you asked for it." Lily said dryly, and with a wave of her wand, James's face turned an interesting shade of purple and his ears grow longer and longer until they got the shape of donkey ears.

Everyone in the Great Hall started laughing as James got up, screaming.

Lily chuckled and went back to the paper.

"That was brilliant, Lily!" Alice cried out, "Where did you learn that spell? I never heard of it."

"I think your mum forgot how things were when she was at Hogwarts, because she taught me that things way advanced to the years I was in." Lily stated, "Any ways," she said as she put down the paper, "Where is the Frank Longbottom that you don't stop talking about? And who were those boys that sat with us?" She asked, nodding at the four boys that were just getting out of the hall.

"They are the Marauders, James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. The one you cursed is James Potter, their unofficial leader. Remus Lupin is the one with the light brown hair and the greyish- blue eyes, Black is the one with the shoulder length black hair and stormy-grey eyes. Perter is the short plump one with the watery-blue eyes and blond hair." Alice said. "I don't like them because they are the ones that turned my hair blue in third year and they also…" she trailed off, staring at a tall boy with dirty blond hair and brown eyes. He was walking towards them.

"Hi Alice," he said, a little shyly.

Alice blushed a deep shade of red "Hi" she whispered.

"Frank Longbottom, is it?" Lily said mischievously.

"Yes, that's me," the boy said, looking at Lily, "welcome to Hogwarts, I was told by the headmaster to come and welcome you, being head boy and all. I see you are the new Quiddich Captain and a prefect." He nodded at her badges, "I guess I'll see you in practice and meetings." He turned to go.

"Wait! Why don't you sit with us?" Lily was making a plan quickly.

"Oh, sure, why not?" Frank said, blushing a little as he sat down.

"So, what position do you take at Quiddich?" Frank asked Lily.

"Seeker, and you?" Lily asked.

"Keeper." he said shortly.

"Alice, are you trying out for the team this year?" Lily turned to Alice.

"I don't know…" Alice looked thoughtful, "I don't think I'm good enough".

"Rubbish, you are the Captain of the girl's team we play on." Lily said.

McGonagall then handed them their timetables. She stopped behind Lily. "Well done, Ms. Evens, you got the best O.W.L's results in your year, not to mansion the best in the last twenty years." McGonagall said, loud enough for most of the people around them to hear.

"Thank you Professor." Lily muttered, trying to avoid the stares she was receiving.

When the Professor finally walked on, Frank asked, "What position do you play Alice?"

"She plays Chaser." Lily said, knowing what was coming.

"I can talk for myself, Lily, thanks very much!" Alice snapped.

"Good, 'cause I have to go get my books, and I really don't have the time to answer questions for you." She said, getting up.

"I'll come with you!" Alice said.

"No, you won't, because you have a free period right now. So you can stay here and chat, I'll see you at potions, second period." Lily walked out of the Great Hall, leaving it up to fate that something would happen between her best friend and Frank.

* * *

As she walked into the Gryffindor common room, a pretty girl with light brown hair and crystal blue eyes walked up to her. The girl looked furious. "Change him back!" she cried, pointing in the direction of James. He was surrounded by people that were either laughing or trying to help him to get rid of the purple face and the donkey ears, but nothing was working.

Lily cackled when she saw Sirius whispering a spell, but it didn't work, leaving green spots all over James's purple face.

"Why? I like it that way, he can hear much better, and he doesn't behave like he rules the school anymore." Lily smiled coldly.

"Change him back now! If you don't, I'll, I'll…"

"You'll do what?" Lily asked darkly, obviously trying to scare the girl off.

It worked; the girl flinched and walked back to James.

Lily shot one last glance at the group of people and hurried to her dorm to grub her books, and walked out of the common room to Ancient Runes.

* * *

"Who is that?" Lily asked, pointing at the girl that screamed at her earlier, who apparently just walked into the hall, hand in hand with James (his face and ears were back to normal, after a visit to the hospital wing). It was lunchtime, and Lily was sitting with Alice at the Gryffindor table.

"Jessica Smith, fifth year, Girlfriend of James Potter, and _was_ the prettiest girl at school." Alice muttered.

"_Was_?"

"She was, before you came here." Alice said, smiling cheekily.

"I am not the prettiest girl in school. And not at all without makeup, what, with all the scars and bruise covering my face?" Lily whispered back.

"Whatever." Alice said, still not convinced, "Why were you asking?"

"She came up to me this morning in the common room and shouted at me to turn James back." Alice burst out laughing, knowing Lily, she could imagine Jessica's face when Lily told her off. She laughed so loud, the whole table looked at her, but she didn't mind.

"What, what did you tell her?" Alice asked between laughs.

"well, she came up to me and said that if I didn't turn him back, she'll… and then she trailed off, so I put on my dark voice and asked her What is she going to do, and then she flinched and walked away." Lily recalled the conversation earlier that morning.

Alice face straightened, "What I don't understand is how you, the nice, sweet and shy Lily I know, can be also so cold, dark and mean."

"Alice, I've been betrayed, I can't trust anyone anymore. I trusted my mother and look at her now. The only ones I trust are you and your family." Lily smiled at her friend sadly.

Suddenly, Lily felt a curse hitting her, making all the cuts and bruises burn unbearably. Usually, Lily would just wince, but, being caught in surprise, she gave a deathly scream of pain and quickly took the bottle Alice handed her, knowing it was a healing potion to reduce pain.

The buzz in the hall stopped as all the students turned their attention to Lily, who was now breathing heavily and trying to search in her mind for the counter curse to the spell she was hit with, which apparently turned her skin green with orange spots.

She muttered the spell, and quickly gathered her things and ran out of the hall, face down.

Alice walked over to the Marauders, knowing it was them who turned Lily's skin green.

"You idiots! You could have killed her! You could have scarred her skin for the rest of her life! You knew the damages that spell can cause! And you," She pointed at Remus "you are a prefect, way didn't you stop them!" Alice yelled, red in the face.

"It's not like we hit her with an unforgivable curse." James muttered, though he knew she was right and besides, she did the same to me!"

"The unforgivable curses are not the only ones that cause pain and damage! And Lily used a harmless charm, knowing it wouldn't hurt you physically! She is far more advanced than you are, and knows how to use spells so they won't hurt people! YOU ARE THE MOST STUPID AROGANT GIT I EVER MET!" with that, she stormed out of the hall.

"What I don't understand, is why Alice said you could have killed her, I mean, the spell can be a little painful, but it can't cause such damage." Remus said thoughtfully.

"You are in a lot of trouble, Prongs, mate" Sirius said, as he nodded towards Dumbledore who was walking up to them, an extremely disappointed look on his face.

"You recon, Padfoot?" James said, annoyed with his friend.

* * *

Alice walked out to the grounds, knowing Lily would be there.

As Alice walked by the lake, she saw a beautiful bird flying above it. The bird had red, blue and black feathers, with a few purple ones on each wing. The feathers shone in the sun, making them sparkle.

"Lily!" Alice cried out.

The bird flew towards her and landed next to her.

And then, where the bird was just standing, Lily appeared.

"You shouldn't turn into your animagus form in broad daylight." Alice stated, looking at her friend with concern.

"I don't care, I needed to get some fresh air, and I also wanted to have a look around the lake." Lily said, looking out to the horizon.

Alice pulled out her wand. "_Accio_ broomsticks" she said, and a few moments later, two brand new brooms came flying towards them. "Come on, let's practice, it would do you good."

They mounted the brooms and raced over to the Quiddich pitch.

* * *

Over the next few days, Lily kept a low profile. As the days past by, she stopped expecting to get an apology from the marauders, and her opinion about them became clear, she thought they were a bunch of arrogant prats, who's heads were so swelled up it was unbelievably they didn't fall off their shoulders.

On Saturday, Lily put a sigh on the noticeboard in the Gryffindor common room saying Quiddich tryout would be held that afternoon.

Many people showed up at the Quiddich pitch, either to watch, or tryout, and some came just to test the new Quiddich Captain.

Lily, who has been there since midday, was speeding around the pitch, enjoying the air so high up. Once in a while, she would shout at Alice to realise the snitch, gave it a minute to fly off, and then sped around and found it in no time, diving to catch it.

As Lily realized it was time for tryouts, she made a deep dive and then stopped, hovering about three feet from the ground.

"Alright, get into groups of five!" she shouted at the people who were there, trying out for the team. They did as she said, hurrying into their groups.

"Now when I tell you, you and your group would form a line and fly around the pitch four times. Do not race! You are to keep the line straight!" Lily said, loud and clear.

After shooing a few third year Revenclews, ten giggling fifth years that knew nothing about flying, never mind Quiddich and a some first years, she was left with twelve people trying out.

"Ok, all of you that are trying out for a chaser position, go to that side of the pitch." She pointed to her right. James, Alice, and some other students walked over there. "Beaters go there," she pointed to her left. Sirius, Peter and a few others walked over there. "And as I see we have only one trying out as keeper." She nodded at Frank. "So, Frank, you are the keeper, seems everyone knows you were going to be, and you can go to the goal posts. Chasers tryouts are first."

After half an hour, all seven people trying out for chasers and five trying for beaters finished, and out of them Lily saw clearly who the best ones were.

"Well, chasers are Alice Hireson, James Potter and Emily Allson. Beaters are Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew." Lily wasn't pleased. "Potter, you are the reserve seeker, Tania Thompson and Sonia Wotson are reserve chasers, Charles Jonson is the reserve beater and Donna Frayés is the reserve keeper. Well done everybody. I'll see you at practice on Wednesday next week." With that, Lily mounted her broom and shot back to the air, as high as possible.

"Wow!" Sirius said, amazed at how fast Lily was on a broom. "The Quiddich cup is going to be ours this year, for sure."

"Yeah, I guess," James said, as Jessica joined them. He kissed her on the cheek, and walked to the dressing room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: A cat fight. **

Two weeks after tryouts, Lily Evans was walking down a corridor to get to her Charms class, her first lesson for the day. She was obviously the best in her class; it was made clear after Professor Flitwik has asked her to tutor some younger students who were straggling in the subject. That was very rear, to be asked to tutor someone in charms, never mind several people. Lily had to refuse, since she has was already accepted to tutor someone in Potions and two people in Transfiguration.

She entered the class, early as usual, and sat down next to the desk shared with Alice, pulling out a planner and checking what classes she had that day.

While she was reading the homework that was due the next day, someone tapped on the shoulder. Lily spun around in surprise.

"Oh, it's you, Potter." She said, turning back to the homework, "If you are wondering when's the next Quiddich practise, it's today at five sharp. And no, I won't change the time because you have a date, so forget it. If you're not there, I won't let you play on the match next weekend, so don't even think of ditching practise."

"Poisonous, aren't we?" James teased. "I was actually going to say hi." He added innocently.

"And since when do you say hi to me?" Lily asked dryly, "you only bug me, prank me or ask about Quiddich, probably trying to prove I don't deserve the captain position."

"Ow! That hurt my ego." James pretended to have a heart attack.

"You have such a big ago anyway; it wouldn't hurt to deflate it." And when she glanced at the bad act he made "and save the acting to Jessica, she's too thick to see the play boy you are, she might be the only one to believe you."

The bell rang and the class filled up. The rest of the Marauders just walked inside the class room, when they noticed James lying on the floor.

"Prongs!" Sirius Shouted, "What did you do to him, Evans?" he glared at Lily.

Lily rolled her eyes, " I take that back, Black is also thick enough to believe you're act" she then slammed her book shut, got up and walked over to Professor Flitwik to hand in her essay.

James watched as Lily walked away. _She's so hot,_ he thought. _What!? What am I thinking? This is Evens for god's sake. The evil little bitch that pranked me, took my captain badge and doesn't stop being so damn ignorant, not caring when I prank her. She's also… um… well… she's… um, really beautiful. No! I have a girlfriend, I shouldn't think about other girls…

* * *

_

The class went by quickly, as did the rest of the lessons, and soon it was time for Quiddich practise.

As the team took off from the ground, Lily noticed a group of people down in the stands. She groaned.

"Potter! Black!" Lily shouted so loud, James wouldn't have been surprised the people in Hogsmeade heard her.

"What?" he asked irritably as he flew towards her, Sirius by his side.

"Black, get your bloody fan club out of here, they caused you to hit the bulger towards me instead of the targets I put up." Sirius muttered something about not minding to actually hit her as he slowly dived to the ground. Lily overheard him and added "You are lucky you missed." Sirius snorted at that, but stopped when he saw the death glare he was getting from Lily.

"Now as for you Potter, I never want to see your stupid girlfriend on practice, ever! Every time she's here I have to send you to the Hospital Wing, if I could I would get her band from the Quiddich pitch for all I care." Lily said darkly.

"But-" he was cut off by a call from the stands near by. Jessica was waving at him to come over. He did so and when he got there he was embraced into a long passionate kiss. When they finally broke apart, he turned around to see the whole team (minus Peter and Sirius) hovering above him, looking very annoyed and impatient. He saw his captain giving him a death glare. "What?"

"Here is another reason to get her out of here during practice, if that's what you're going to do at the match, then I think I should put Thompson in your place." And, seeing the confused look on Jessica's face she added with a shout that would make the biggest bully on earth to run away like a puppy with its tail between its legs. "Get the hell out of here, Smith! You're interrupting my Quiddich practice every time!"

"Jess," James whispered into his girlfriend's ear "you better do as you are asked; I wouldn't want to get on her wrong side if I were you."

Jess just nodded and ran out of the pitch.

"You know, you can be a little less harsh, people would-" Sirius said.

"Jonson! Come here, I think Black is getting ill!" Lily shouted over her shoulder.

"Alright! I get it, just let me stay on the team for the match" Sirius muttered, and went back to hitting the bulgers towards the targets that were set up.

Lily gave a satisfied smile before saying, "Alright, the show is over. Get back to your positions."

* * *

Later that night, Jess was sitting on James' lap, stroking his hair. They were almost alone, in the exception of Sirius who was snogging a girl in the corner, and a couple of seventh years, who were finishing some homework.

"Why did you tell me to go, back in the pitch, instead of standing up for me?" James looked confused at what Jess just said, so she added, "You never back up when she tells you to, than why should I?"

"It's different, babe. You're in fifth year, how could you possibly stand up to her? I'm in her year, and I'm a guy, it's easer for a guy to handle a girl that a girl to handle another girl, especially an older girl, with much more experience, and in Evans case, much more bitchy and cruel." James stated dryly

"Are you saying I can't stand up for myself? Are you saying I'm like a child?" Jessica asked a little angry.

"You didn't, if you could, why didn't you?" James asked, getting annoyed with the tone his girlfriend was using. "And of course I don't think you're a child, I wouldn't have been dating you for over a year if I did." He added, rolling his eyes.

Jess was getting very crossed with her boyfriend, he was acting like he was much better then her just because he was a year older. She got off his lap and looked down at him as she said, "don't use that tone with me, and don't roll your eyes at what I say, I'm not stupid. I'm going to bed, and I hope tomorrow you'd think twice before acting like you are better then me, because then I'd have to prove you wrong." And with that, she stormed off to her dorm.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, everything went very quietly. The marauders occasionally pranked Lily, getting hexed with weird and advances hexes in return.

The hottest and most popular couple in the school were on a very rocky stage in their relationship. That made many girls hopeful that the couple would brake up and they would get a chance with James. The guys felt the same way just towards Jess.

After dinner one Friday, Dumbledore stood to make an announcement. All faces turned to him.

"I know that you are all well aware that the Hallowing Fist is in a week time." There was a murmur in the great hall, which clearly meant they all were. Dumbledore hushed the students and went on "Well, this year there was a decision to have a masquerade ball after the fist." The Great Hall started to buzz in excitement only to be hushed again by the professor. "Only fourth year and above are allowed to attend the ball, and there will be no dates, so no one under the fourth year can claim they were asked to be the date of a fourth year and above. The Head Boy and girl, the prefects, and some other students that have been chosen are to be in the Great Hall at five pm next Friday, to help decorate the hall for the masquerade. Dinner is over." He finished and got up from his sit.

The students chattered as they filled out of the great hall, exited about the ball coming up.

* * *

A week later, Alice, one of the students chosen to help with the ball, and Lily walked to the Great Hall.

When they got in, though it was early, they saw all the people that were helping were already there, eager to start.

With a Quick look around the room, Lily took in all the people that were to help. She saw all the prefects, the marauders (minus Peter), Jessica, two Hufflepuffs, one other Revenclaw and another Slytherin standing in the room.

"Oh Great, you're here, let's start then." Frank Said as he saw the two girls walk in, he flashed Alice a charming yet a shy smile. She smiled back, blushing furiously. "Lupin, Ash, Thompson and White, you work on the pumpkins," He said, nodding his head towards a big pile of abnormally large pumpkins in the corner of the room. "Make sure they look good. Black, Grainger, McNorber and Jones, you work on the bats, you know what to do. If you don't I'm sure Cole would help you." He said nodding to the Head girl, Kate Cole, standing next to him. She nodded back and walked off with the four assigned. "Evans, Smith, and Potter, you get started with the walls. Alice, come with me, we'll work on the music. The rest of you get started on the refreshments tables, go to the kitchens and tell the house elves what is the list of foods and drinks." He concluded, walking off with Alice, who was blushing even more then before, if possible.

Lily wasn't pleased. She really didn't have the patience to work with Potter and is little girlfriend at the moment. Thinking about it, she never had and never will have the patience to work with them.

After half an hour of working in silence, Jess notice that James was staring at Lily's back, while Lily was making pretty patterns of orange on the black wall curtains with her wand.

"Why are you staring at her?" Jess demanded in a hiss, in James' ear so only he could hear.

"I'm trying to learn how she's doing that, never saw such spell, and you know I hate it when someone knows better then me." James lied; He _was_ admiring Lily's work, but also her perfect figure, moving gracefully around the room. He knew it was wrong on so many levels, but she was so damn attractive.

Jess studied him for a moment before saying, "You're lying."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on James, I know you too well, you are lying and you know it! You bloody bustard!" she yelled the last sentence and marched over to Lily, who turned to see what was the yelling about. Jess slapped Lily across the jaw. "You little boyfriends thief bitch!" she yelled at her.

"Is that all you've got. God you're pathetic." Lily stated coldly "Besides, why would I still you're idiot for a boyfriend, Potter?" Lily spat. All the people were watching the fight by now, knowing Jess got herself into a fight with the wrong girl.

Jess pushed Lily hard to the wall by the shoulders. Alice gasped, knowing Lily's father once shot her in the shoulder, not to kill her, just to cause her great pain. Magic didn't help, the wound won't go, and it hurt Lily badly. She also knew about the stab Lily got in her back once, magic didn't help there either.

Alice rushed over but stopped when she saw the look on Lily's face. Lily had that look on her face only once before, and it meant bad news, very bad news.

"Oh, you went too far this time Smith, way too far. Big mistake." Lily hissed in a cold, dangerous voice, which sent chills down Jess' spine, but she didn't show it.

Strong, cold wing came through the windows, making Lily's hair and robes fly all around her.

Suddenly a strong wave of pure magic pushed Jessica hard to the opposite wall, causing her to crush into it and slide to the ground unconscious.

Lily stormed out of the Great Hall, everyone's eyes following her as she went. Then, some rushed towards Jess, to check if she was alright.

"That Evans girl is out of a freak!" Alice heard a blonde Hufflepuff girl say.

"No. Lily's not a freak. That Smith" she spat, nodding at the girl lying on the floor "went way too far this time, and she got what she deserved." With that said, she went to find Lily.

"That was weird." Frank said "Alice just said that there is someone on earth that deserved to be hurt, and hurt bad." Everyone in the hall nodded. They all knew how nice, forgiving and caring Alice was. "Well, we have fewer hands helping, so, Black, Potter, take Smith to the Hospital wing and come back here right after to finish helping. Everyone else, back to work, we want to finish so we can get ready for the ball. I will report the incident to the headmaster as soon as we're finished."

* * *

A short while later, Frank was standing in the headmaster's office, waiting for the old man to arrive.

"Ah, Mr. Longbottom, What is it?" Dumbledore asked, looking at the Head Boy through his half moon glasses.

"Yes, well, for starters, I came to tell you that the Hall is decorated and that I think it would be well to send the lower grades for their fist now, so there would not be any trouble getting them out before the ball. Secondly, I came to inform you of a rather… um… how should I put it… um… unusual incident that happened in the great hall earlier." Frank told the wise man about the fight between Jess and Lily, from when Jess was shouting at James and till when Alice said Jess deserved what she got.

"What I don't understand, sir, is why Evans said Smith went too far, and so did Alice. I know that Smith pushed her rather hard, but that was not really the worst injury a person ever got. I handled worst injuries in my life time."

The professor looked thoughtful. After a few moments of silence he finally spoke, "I think, Mr. Longbottom, that there is more to it. Do you remember that at the second day of term, Mr. Potter hexed her so her skin turned green?" Frank nodded, "Well, I overheard Ms. Hireson lecturing them, it was quite hard not to. She said that they could have killed Ms. Evans, which was a rather exaggerated statement at the time, knowing the spell did hurt, but not badly." Frank was thoroughly confused, but Dumbledore went on, more to himself then anything. "Looking back at it, Ms. Hireson might have been telling the truth." He muttered. Realizing Frank was still there, he said, "Go and tell Ms. Evans, Ms. Smith and Ms. Hireson to report to my office immediately."

Frank did as he was told and soon after, the three girls walked into the office.

"Oh, hello girls, please take a sit." Dumbledore said, nodding at the three chares in front of his desk. They did so, noticing he was unusually serious.

"Mr. Longbottom has been here minutes earlier, telling me about what happened between the two of you," he nodded at Lily and Jess, "In the hall." Seeing Alice's confused look he added, "And I wanted Ms. Hireson here to discus something else with her and with Ms. Evans afterwards, if you wish to leave and have me sending someone to call when it's time, it is perfectly understandable." He said.

"Oh, no it is fine by me to wait her for a bit." Alice replied.

"Very well." Dumbledore turned back to the two other girls. "I would like to tell you that I am highly disappointed about what happened between the two of you. Ms. Smith, what made you blame Ms. Evans?"

"James was staring longingly at her none stop, ever since she arrived. I just couldn't take it anymore!" Jess cried, looking frustrated.

"Please keep your voice down, Ms. Smith." Dumbledore said calmly, "Anything to say for your self, Ms. Evans."

"I didn't do anything to make him stare at me that way, if anything, I've been trying to drive him away from me, and I just want to be left in peace." Lily said.

"I see, and why exactly did you push Ms. Smith to the wall?"

"Technically, there's no proof I did it." Lily defended herself.

She was right, it was a strong wave of magic that pushed Jess to the wall, but there was no way of telling where the wave came from.

"Ms. Evans, I'm asking you and I want you to be honest with me. Did you or did you not push Ms. Smith to the wall?" Lily looked into the old mans eyes and knew he knew the answer to the question, he was just testing her.

"Yes, I did."

"Why?"

Lily thought for a minute or so, and then finally spoke, "Sir, I would tell you what is it that caused me to be so violent, but I refuse to tell it to her." She glared at Jess.

"Very well, Ms. Smith, you my go. You will be informed about your punishment later on." Jess nodded and left.

"Sir, there are a few more things I have to ask of you before I tell you… My, um, secret. First I don't want you to feel any way differently towards me after you hear what I say. I also don't want you to tell anybody, or try and get involved in it; I just won't be able to live with that." Alice flinched when she heard that, she knew lily meant that literately. The Professor nodded in agreement.

Lily took a deep breath, "when I was eleven, just before I got the letter from Hogwarts, I found my mother cheating on my father with another man. When my father found out, they got divorced, and I was set to live with my mother. She got married to the man I saw her with, his name is Robert, soon after, and we moved in with him. Then, after being pulled away from my sister and father, I was not wanted anymore. When my mother or 'father' decided I was a bad girl, Robert would beat me up, sometimes for no apparent reason. It was on daily bases after a while" Lily told him about a few of the times she was beaten, including the one where she was shot stabbed and when she got the cut that went all the way down from her neck to her right wrist.

When she was finally done, a tear rolled down her chick, her eyes filled with sadness, anger and pain.

Dumbledore looked at the petite girl sympathetically, sad that someone so young should experience pain no human should. "Ms. Evans, I'm very sorry. I shell keep my word and I would not get involved, but I must tell your head of house about this." Seeing she was about to protest, he added, "It is for your own safety." Lily nodded.

"You have an hour before the ball, I suggest you go and get ready." He dismissed the two girls.

When they got out of the office Lily started sobbing on Alice's shoulder. She wanted to cry forever for the first time in four years she was crying her heart out, not caring about anything else.

"It's Okay…" Alice soothed her, pulling her into a gentle hug. Alice led Lily to the Gryffindor Tower, and they slipped into the sixth girls' dorm. They got ready for the ball, this was going to be the first ball in Hogwarts for five years, so this was their first ball, and everyone in the dorm was too busy getting ready to notice the two girls slip in.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

The Great Hall was full of people, all wearing costumes.

"Hey there, Jamey- boy." Sirius said, walking over to talk to his best friend, "where's your little girlfriend?"

"She's around here, somewhere. Truthful I don't give a damn where she is, she's getting on my nerves." James said bitterly. He was wearing a red and gold prince costume with a red mask.

"Why are you dating a girl for over a year now and you never even liked her?" Sirius asked. He was wearing a costume of the phantom of the opera.

James gave him a look that clearly meant ‎‎'you really don't know?' "Oh, she's just good in bed." Sirius said.

James smacked him over the head "No you idiot, it's status. Both our families are rich, high in society, and purebloods, it is expected of us to be together and then marry, unfortunately. It's my grandmother that decided that, and even though my parents don't agree, they have no say in it."

"Oh," Sirius smiled sheepishly.

"What are you two talking about?" Jessica asked, walking up from behind the two men.

"Oh, nothing." James lied quickly, avoiding his girlfriend's eyes. Instead, he took in her appearance. She had a shining pink mask on, loads of make up, too much jewellery and was wearing a strapless tight hot pink dress, too tight and short for his liking, which showed off most of her legs. James didn't mind seeing most of Jessica's legs, but he didn't want people to think he was dating a slut, even though he was dating one, to his dismay.

Just then, the doors to the great hall opened. The ball has begun about an hour ago, so all faces turned to see the person entering the hall so late.

At the top of the ten steps that led to the hall stood two girls. One of the girls was recognized to be Alice Hireson. She was wearing a strapless navy blue dress that flowed down to the floor and had a navy blue mask to match. Her hair was up in an elegant bun and was decorated with silver flower hair clips. She looked stunning.

Next to Alice, stood a girl most people did not recognize. She was wearing an ankle length golden dress, with very short off shoulders, puffy sleeves, though most of her hands were covered in elbow length gloves. Her hair was in long, red, silk like curls falling off her shoulders and down her back. She had amazing green eyes hidden behind a golden mask. The girl looked inhumanly beautiful, just like an angel.

Alice and the red headed walked down the stairs slowly, trying to avoid the stares they were receiving.

"Do you have the feeling that you've just walked naked into a room full of guys?" Lily muttered to Alice, "'cause I know I do."

Alice giggled a little and then blushed, she didn't like having to much attention, and it wasn't in her nature. "Let's go to the refreshments' table, maybe then the attention would be turned to something else."

They did go to the refreshment table and the attention was turned to something else, but not because of that. "Students of Hogwarts," all faces turned to the voice, which so happened to be Dumbledore's. "I would like to thank all the students that helped decorate the hall, and make it look absolutely wonderful." Claps came from around the room. "Now, I would like the students who helped to come to the dance floor, this song is for you."

All the people who helped decorate the hall gathered in two circles in the middle of the dance floor, inner circle of girls and the boys facing them. It was a tradition that only the prefects would dance at the ball, but since the others helped, they had to dance as well.

"Prongs, I think the girl in the golden dress is Evans." Sirius muttered, pointing at the girl as she walked with the rest into the circle.

"You're right." James said, and then he though of something, "Padfoot, I think I got an idea of how to humiliate Evans."

"Well?" Sirius said impatiently.

"We dance real fast, make her dizzy and then she'd fall. It's brilliant, the whole school's watching!" James said happily.

"Alright." Sirius agreed.

The music started. Lily had already danced with four boys in the circle when she reached Sirius.

"Evans." He said bitterly, as they started dancing.

"Black." He started to dance faster and faster, but no matter how fast he danced, Lily gracefully adjusted herself to the speed.

Finally, they had to move on, and just before Sirius handed her to James, Lily stepped on his foot hard. He winced in pain. "That's for trying to humiliate me." She hissed, and moved to dance with James.

James tried the same thing, spinning Lily around the circle with ease, and even though he was even faster then Sirius, James didn't seem to mange humiliating Lily. Finally, Lily decided to take the lead, she danced so fast, James stumbled and fell to the ground just as the song ended.

The hall erupted with laughter as the students saw James Potter, the James Potter, fall face down to the floor.

James looked up to see Lily. "Tat, tat, tat, and you were expecting to make me fall; don't you see, Potter, that whatever you do, you can't be better then me?" she whispered so only he could hear, and with that, she walked off to the tables area.

"Well, that didn't go well." Sirius stated.

"No kidding Padfoot." James said irritably.

"You want her don't you?" Sirius asked him quietly

James was taken aback "What- yeah, I guess I do." He muttered.

* * *

"Hey, Alice," frank said, as he walked up to Alice and Lily, "Lily," she nodded at him.

"I'm going for a walk outside." Lily said as she got up from her sit and left. She could hear Frank asking Alice to dance, and Alice accepting his request.

Lily was walking by the refreshments' table someone grabbed her arm, put his hand over her mouth and dragged her out of the hall, unnoticed.

After walking for a while around the castle, the person who grabbed her shoved Lily roughly into a broom closet and locked the door behind her.

Lily took out her wand and tried to open the door.

"It wouldn't work, believe me, I've tried." A voice came from somewhere around the small room.

"_Lumos_" Lily muttered and the light appeared at the end of her wand. She found that she was standing face to face with James Potter.

* * *

"I wonder where Lily is." Alice muttered as she danced around the dance floor with Frank.

"Um… Alice, I was wondering… wouldyouliketogotohogsmeadewithme?" he said very quickly.

"Pardon, didn't catch that."

"Would you like to go to the next hogsmeade weekend with me?" Frank asked slowly, not wanting to sound like a complete idiot.

"I'd love to!" Alice exclaimed happily. She gave him a quick pack on the chick. They danced around the room for the rest of the evening, both feeling very relieved.

* * *

"Remus, where's James?" Jessica demanded.

"No idea, left with Sirius about half an hour ago, I haven't seen him since." Remus said dryly, not even looking at the girl next to him. He saw her dress once and didn't want to look at it again, how could James stand it, dating the ditziest girl in the whole school? Sure, Remus knew James had no choice, even though James knew for a fact that Jessica has cheated on him with almost every guy in the sixth year and above, even a few Slytherins.

"Well, when you see him, tell him I can't come see him tonight, I have an assay to finish." Jess said, walking away. Remus snorted, Jessica never does her homework. She gets one of the Revenclaws to do it for her.

* * *

Sirius was standing under James's invisibility cloak, guarding a broom closet, in case someone tries to get in or out.

Footsteps came from down the corridor. Sirius quickly pulled the cloak tightly around him and took out his wand.

Two people emerged from the shadows. Sirius looked closely and found it was Jessica, going all over some guy in seventh year. She started kissing him, and he eagerly kissed her back, his hand making its way up her back, trying to undo the buttons of her dress.

Sirius was so disgusted. He made some noise, hoping it would make them think someone's coming.

It worked, the two fled down the corridor, and then the guy pulled Jessica inside another broom closet. Sirius had half a mind to go and open the door, which would mean James would break up with Jessica, but thought better of it.

* * *

Lily was filled with questions, but was too busy glaring at James. She had to look up, since he was a good few inched taller then herself, even though she was wearing high hills.

"Why are we here?" She finally asked snappishly.

"I don't know." He snapped back "and could you just stop snapping for a minute and behave like a normal human being for once."

"What ever…" Lily muttered; she felt very uncomfortable, being only inches away from James and feeling his breath on her neck. She took a step back. James followed her, so she took another step back, and he followed her. Lily finally felt her back against the wall. She didn't see any way out, James cornered her.

"What are you doing?" she asked

"Doing?"

"Don't be an idiot, Potter, you know what I'm talking about."

"No I don't…" James whispered, inching towards her.

"Potter, back off!" Lily ordered.

"What if I don't want to?"

"I don't care, just back off!"

"No."

"Potter! If you don't-" Lily was cut off when James's lips pressed hard on hers. He kissed her slowly and passionately, his hands around her small waist, pulling her closer, not wanting to let go. She felt his tongue against her lips, begging for entrance, so she opened her mouth and let it in, letting him deepen the kiss.

Finally, Lily pushed James away, realizing what she was doing.

"What was that?" she snapped.

"It was a kiss, and you seemed to enjoy it." James said calmly, getting closer to her again.

"I did not." _Liar. That was the best kiss you ever had._ A small voice in her head said.

"Really?" James asked mischievously, pulling her into another kiss, this one harder then the first. James started to kiss her neck, which Lily unconsciously tilted to give him more access. He sucked and nibbled on her skin, making her moan with pleasure. While kissing her neck, James noticed a long white scar that suddenly appeared on it. He pulled away.

"What's that?" James asked.

"What's what?"

"That- that scar on your neck." He pointed at her neck in shock.

Lily conjured a mirror so she could see what he was talking about. Her eyes went wide in horror when she saw the thin scar and so many others appear on her exposed skin.


	6. Chapter 6

**A\N- Um, I'm looking for a beta so if anybody interested, please send me your email address. R&R!**

**Chapter 6: Finding out the truth.**

_"That- that scar on your neck." He pointed at her neck in shock._

_Lily conjured a mirror so she could see what he was talking about. Her eyes went wide in horror when she saw the thin scar and so many others appear on her exposed skin._

"This isn't happening to me! No! It can't! The concealing spell, it couldn't have worn off! No! It couldn't!" Lily kept muttering to her self her skin as pale as a white sheet, ignoring James's presence.

"What isn't happening to you?" James asked, shaking her lightly. "What are those scars? Where from? What concealing spell?"

She looked at him and she went even paler, her eyes growing wider. "You-you- you saw..." she couldn't finish the sentence; she just slid to the floor and started sobbing." You can't know! No! Not you! Just not you!"

James crouched to the floor next to her. "Tell Me."

"No." she said firmly, as she stopped crying and went back to her usual cold self.

James kissed her "tell me," he murmured between kisses.

Lily pushed him away and stood up. "No, Potter." She said again, and walked to the door, turning the door knob. It wouldn't open.

James laughed sadly, walking up to her and cornering her again. "We're Locked in, remember?" he looked into her eyes.

"Go away, Potter." Lily pushed past him and walked to the other side of the room. He followed her, kissing her hard.

Lily pushed him for the third time in the last thirty minutes. "I'm not a slut you can shag when you want to, go shag your girlfriend."

"I hate my so called girlfriend."

"I don't care." Lily said.

"But I like you."

And I don't like you."

James put his hand under her chin and tilted her head up, so he could kiss her again. She slapped him hard in the face. He leaned in again to kiss her, and when she was about to slap him again, he grabbed her wrist. Lily attempted to slap him with her other hand, but James grabbed her other wrist as well.

James smirked, thinking he got her. But instead, Lily kicked him hard, and he fell to the ground in pain.

"Good, Evans, good. But, not good enough." As he said that, James kicked Lily's legs, throwing her off balance and making her fall to the ground, or on top of him more like it. James made a quick move, and soon enough he was on top of her.

"Let me go!"

"I don't think I will."

"Potter!"

"Yes Evans?"

"Let me go, you little-" she was again cut off by a kiss, but by now, being so used to that, she wasn't in shock, neither did she kiss back. Instead, Lily punched James in the stomach, making him roll over in pain.

"Would you please stop kissing me?" Lily snapped, storming to a small stair that led to the door and sat down.

James walked over and sat next to her. "Do you want to talk then?" he asked hopefully.

"I've got nothing to tell you."

"What about the scars."

"That's none of your business."

"I made it my business when I started kissing your neck and found them."

"That makes no sense."

"I was never very sensible."

"I can see that."

"Well, then, tell me."

"No"

"Why?"

"Because if I tell you I'll have to kill you."

"Oh, so you want me to stay alive."

"No I just said that, because I don't want to be a murderer."

"Then why would you want to kill me then?"

"I didn't say that. I said I'll _have_ to kill you _if_ I tell you about the scars."

"Why then?"

"You ask too many questions, you're being nosey."

"I like being nosey. Now tell me why would you kill me."

"Because if I let you live, I will die. Done. End of subject, don't mention it ever again, or I'll kick you out of the Quiddich team." Lily concluded the conversation.

"You can't do that, I'm your best chaser."

"Course I can, and about you being the best chaser, that can be put in a debate. Unfortunately for you, I think Alice is better."

"That hurt my ego."

"Good, it needs deflating."

"Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"The scars."

"No."

"Come on, Evans." James pleaded.

"No and that's final." Lily said, getting up and walking to the other end of the small room. She lay down on the floor. "Good night."

James looked at his watch and realized it was one in the morning and the ball was over. "Good night." He said, looking over at her. She looked so beautiful in her golden dress. James noticed Lily was shivering a little. He conjured a blanket and a pillow for her, gently picking her head up ad putting it on the pillow. He carefully tucked her in, and then conjured a blanket and a pillow for himself.

He lay on the floor, wide awake, and stared at the sealing, thinking. He lay there for about an hour or so, when he suddenly heard a loud scream. He looked at Lily and saw her turning around under the blanket, muttering things.

"Let me go!" she screamed, and then let out a yelp of pain.

"I didn't do it!" she screamed, crouching into a ball tightly.

James walked over to her ad sook her lightly by the shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" Lily yelled, shotting up from the floor and running to the other side of the room. She went to the corner and sat there, leaning against the wall, sweat forming on her forehead.

James followed her, and saw the fear in her eyes as he approached. She was about to yell again when she saw who it is. "Oh, it- it you th- thank g-god." Lily stuttered.

"Are you alright?"

"N- No"

"Want to talk?"

Lily simply nodded and James sat down next to her.

"Where do you want me to begin?"

"I think the beginning would be good." James grinned.

"Fine, when I was eleven…"

**-Flash back-**

"I'm home!" called Lily, as she closed the door behind her.

There was no answer.

"Mum, are you here?" the 11 year old said slowly, tiptoeing for no reason to the kitchen door. It was slightly opened, so she popped her head in, saying "Mum, are you there? I have my report to show you, it's a straight-" she trailed off, seeing there was nobody there.

_Odd_, Lily thought to herself, _it's Mum's free day of work, and she did the weekly shopping yesterday, so where could she be?_

Lily slowly walked up the dark corridor to the last door that led to her parents' room, eager to find her mother and show her the report card she got, it was a strait A+ report, and she wanted to make her mother proud of her achievements.

Lily was smiling to herself as she got into the room. Her smile faded away as soon as she saw what her mother was doing, sitting on the bed kissing a stranger.

Lily's face paled as she dropt her report card on the floor. Suddenly her mother looked at her, realizing that there was someone at the door.

Lily started running.

"Lily! Wait!" her mother called after her "I-I can explain. Lily, darling, please, wait"

Suddenly, the front door opened and Lily's dad came in. "I'm home!" he said.

Lily came running down the hall and cried into his shoulder as he picked her up into his arms and hugged her. "What's wrong, my Lily flower, why so sad?" he asked affectionately.

Lily told him what she saw. His face darkened. He went upstairs.

The 11 year old could hear the shouting upstairs, frightened of what was going on, she ran to her room and locked the door, she curled herself into a ball on the floor, put her hands over ears and prayed to herself that the fighting would stop and that it had all been a dream, but it wasn't.

About an hour later there was knocking on the door. Lily forced herself to get up and open it.

It was Petunia, her older sister.

"Lily, what are they fighting about, what's going on?!" then Petunia noticed how terrified Lily was and quickly tried to calm her down.

Slowly, Lily told her what happened.

They sat there for hours, waiting for the screaming to stop, and it did.

They heard someone coming upstairs, the bedroom door burst open, and standing in the doorway was their mum, all red from anger and tears.

"ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?"she screamed, pointing at Lily "ARE YOU HAPPY YOU RUINED YOUR PARNTS RELATIONSHIP?!"

"Leave her alone, Rachel, she wasn't the one cheating and lying to me. That's it, we are getting a divorce."

That sentence changed her life, for ever. From the happy young girl she became miserable and depressed.

Lily's mother came up to her and slapped her across the jaw, she was about to hit her again when John, Lily's father grabbed her hand "don't you dare hit her again."

**-End of flash back-**

"So they got divorced?" James asked "What's that got to do with the scars?"

"If you want to hear, then shut up and listen." Lily snapped.

"Sorry…"

"Okay, well, they got divorced and…"

**-Flash back 2-**

Rachel moved out of the house, and lived with her boyfriend Robert, that stranger Lily saw on the bed, because she wasn't wanted t home. But at the end of the divorce, the judge decided that Lily has to go with her mother, seeing as she was the youngest. John protested, saying she wouldn't take care of her because of what happened and that it would not be fair for the child, but the decision was made, Lily was to go with her mother and Petunia with her father.

Lily cried while packing her things into the suitcase.

She hugged her father and sister for the last time, knowing quite well that her mother would do every thing in her power to keep her from ever seeing them again, and waved to them through the back window of Robert's car looking at them standing in the driveway, until they vanished out of sight, and out of her life for ever, or at least for a very long time.

Lily tried to hold the tears back, but they just came running down her face. She sobbed all the way to Robert's house.

When they reached the house, lily looked at it with fear and amazement at the same time. It as more like a castle then a house, it was old and had a magnificent view of the country side.

As Lily studied it, she was taken aback by a sudden change, from the beautiful building, the castle changed, it was only for a flicker of a second but it changed, it looked like hell with fire coming out of the front door and all the windows dark and misty, mist was covering the ground and there seemed to be a graveyard covering the entire ground around the house. And then it was gone. Lily was in shock, she wasn't sure what just happened and why it happened, but she was sure she would find out, sooner or later.

Lily was shown into her room and was instructed to get down stairs for dinner at seven pm exactly. She was to dress formally for every dinner

Lily unpacked her things. She found a note from Petunia, a lot of candy and chocolate, all of Petunia's savings and a note and money from her father.

The red headed girl quickly looked for a place to hide the candy and money, knowing it would be taken from her if it was found. She then found a good hiding place, under a loose floorboard in the corner of her old and very dirty room.

She quickly put all the candy and money in there and then sat on the small uncomfortable bed and read the notes.

_**Dear Lily,**_

_**I know now tat mom isn't a nice person and I realized she won't give you any money or candy, so I snuck all my savings into your bag (dad would continue to give me my monthly allowance), that sums up to about 200 pounds. I also put there many of your favourite candy and chocolate.**_

_**Please try to write back or just call, I just want to stay in touch, please.**_

_**I love you and miss you so much already,**_

_**Your sister Petunia.**_

Lily felt the tears travelling down her chick, and falling onto the note.

She then read her father's note.

_My Dearest Lily,_

_I do hope you are not having a hard time settling in your new home and that Robert is nice to you,_

_I am sending you some early allowances for the next 7 years, if you get 5 pounds a month, you get 60 pounds a your, that means you get from me 420 pounds in advance._

_Use it wisely,_

_I love you so very much,_

_And miss you so that it hurts,_

_Signed, your loving father._

Lily cried and cried into her pillow, she cried out of self- pity.

_Stop it, get a hold of yourself,_ she told herself,_ what, are you a cry-baby, stop feeling sorry for yourself._

But she couldn't fight the tears, so she just let them roll down her chicks, forming to two rivers. And then, she fell asleep.

**-End of flash back 2-**

"Well, I still don't see where the scars come in." James stated.

"My mother wanted revenge, and she got it. Robert would beat me up almost every day, with, or without a reason, if he was drunk, frustrated, fought with my mother, for punishment or just for the hell of it. the reasons for the punishment were small, making a 'mess' (dropping a piece of paper on the ground and such), coming in late, even by minute, talking in the wrong tone of voice and more stupid reasons, the older I got the more stupid the reasons were." Lily sighed. That was it, she told somebody. Of course, she told Dumbledore, Alice and her family, but that was different. She didn't know why, she just knew it was.

"I'm sorry…" James told her, out of lack of thing to say.

"You have nothing to be sorry about; it's not your fault, though I want you to promise never to tell anyone." Lily said quietly

"But-"

"No buts. This is my life we are talking about, if my 'father' finds out I told somebody, I would never see day light again. Please?" Lily pleaded.

"Fine… I guess, though it's going to be hard." James said.

"Just, try to stay away from me, it'd help." Lily said.

"I'll try, but I can't promise anything." James said.

"Well, I'm going to check if someone unlocked the door." Lily got up and tried to open the door. It opened.

"Finally. I'm going to head to the Tower, bye." Lily said as she walked out of the room.

James sat there, in the broom closet, not really knowing what he should do. He got out of the broom closet and started pacing, without any destination. He walked, and walked, until he ended up on the snow covered Quiddich pitch.

_What am I going to do? _He asked himself,_ I can't let someone get hurt while I know about it; I can't just sit around and do nothing. _

_But you promised._ Said a small voice in his head,_ you've got to keep you're promise. _

James screamed out in frustration. This was going to be really difficult for him, keeping his promise to Lily.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: The first Quiddich Match.**

"Alright people! We trained hard, and we can do this!" Lily called, looking at her team-mates. It was two weeks after the ball, and the first Quiddich mach was Gryffindor verses Slytherin. "Now, I want you to pay close attention to their beaters, Crabbe and Goyle, they're going to chit, so watch out." Lily warned. "Pettigrew, stick to Goyle, Black, you stick to Crabbe. Lets go!"

It was stormy outside, the rain soaking their uniforms.

"And here comes the Gryffindor team." Remus's voice boomed over the thunders. "beaters Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, followed by keeper Frank Longbottom and the chasers Alice Hierson, Emily Allson and James Potter. Finally, Gryffindor's new Seeker, Captain Lily Evans."

"As the teams take their positions, Madam Hooch tosses the Quaffle in the air and Potter grubs it and speeds to the…" Lily blocked the voice out, searching for the snitch. Suddenly, a bulgur zoomed in front of her face, almost throwing her off balance. The ball just missed her, and hit one of the high, forbidden stands, crushing the wood and sending it to the ground. Luckily, no one was hurt. Lily spun around with her broom to see who did it. She saw a boy that looked identical to Black, just two years younger. He was holding a beater's bat, a cruel but charming grin spread across his face.

"TIME OUT!" Lily shouted, singling to Madam Hooch.

As the team landed, Lily marched up to Sirius.

"I take it that, that boy-" She spat, pointing at the boy who held the beater's bat earlier, "is your brother, or a relative."

Sirius followed with his gaze to see who she was pointing at. He winced as he saw it was Regulus, "A most unpleasant fact, why? How can you tell?"

"You two look identical." Lily shrugged. "Now, I don't care what you do, just keep him from the other team's beaters. If he gets his hands on their bats, the game is going to be a disaster. Just don't chit."

"Fine, I'll try." Sirius mumbled.

"Okay, is there anything else one of you want to say?" there was no response, "Good. Let's go."

The seven teens took off to the air, taking their positions. The game resumed, and after an hour, there was still no sign of the snitch. The score was 220- 190 to Gryffindor.

As Lily was looking for the golden ball, trying hard to see through the curtain of rain that was pouring hard one her, she didn't notice the bulgur heading straight at her.

"EVANS!" Someone cried from beneath her. She turned, but it was too late. She saw the bulgur only when it was two inches from her face, and she had no escape. The ball hit her square in the face, forcefully. Blood was running down her nose and the she could taste the red substance in her mouth. Lily spotted the golden snitch just as her team mates came to see if she was okay. She sped off after the golden ball, the blood from her nose dripping off her face and mixing with the rain that was pouring hard on her eyes, making it harder for her to see.

Her hand stretched in front of her, and as the tip of her fingers touched the small flying ball, a bulgur hit her again, this time in her stomach. She started slipping off her broom, and being a hundred feet from the ground, she was frightened.

As Lily thought that that was it, that she was going to die, someone grabbed her around the waist with one hand and with the other tried to take hold of her broom, but failed. Lily quickly sent her hand to grab hold of her broom.

The injured girl looked at the person who saved her. It was Potter. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and James could she the fear and relief in those emerald green eyes.

"DUCK!" they heard Alice call. They saw the bulgur heading at them.

"Let go of me, I can handle it." Lily said quickly. When James was about to protest, Lily sent him a look that clearly meant 'you better do as I said or you'll regret it'. He let go of her and sped off to steal the quaffle from the Slytherin chaser.

Lily swung to one side, still hanging in the air with only one hand holding on her broom, and the bulgur missed her by mere inches. She then swung one leg over the broom, and was sitting again, ready to continue with the game, despite the fact that her nose was bleeding and possibly broken, not to mention her stomach, that was very sour.

She then spotted the snitch again, zooming around two feet from the ground. Lily dived, the other seeker hot on her tail. She was peeking up speed, not seeming to care about the Fact that she was going to crush.

No one really saw what happened next, seeing as it all happened so fast. The other seeker had long pulled up, and when everyone thought Lily was doomed, diving straight to the ground so quickly, she just disappeared. She was two feet from the ground when she pulled up and balanced her broom to be parallel to the ground, and she did it so fast, the people in the crowd just lost sight of her. Lily stretched out her hand, but she couldn't reach the snitch, it was only a few inches away from her and she as flying as fast as possible. So, Lily stood up, balancing herself on the speeding broomstick, leaned forward and caught the ball, but by doing so, she stumbled to the ground, crushing hard.

* * *

A/N- a cliffhanger!!! don't you just luv 'em! Please review, pretty please! 


	8. Chapter 8

A/N- Just a reminder, Charlie Jonson is the reserve beater, Donna Frayés is the reserve keeper and Emily Allson is the third chaser in the Gryffindor Quiddich team, along with James and Alice. When my beta read this chapter, she was like, 'who are they?', so, yeah… R&R!

GG

**Chapter 8:**

"Would you shut up?"

"Nope."

"She doesn't look good."

"Well, she got hit by a bulgur twice, and fell of her broom."

"She was two feet from the ground."

"Let's throw you off the Hogwarts Express while it's in full speed, see how you look, shall we?"

"Ahh, well, I get the picture, no need to hurt my handsome face."

"Shut up!"

"Okay."

"Finally."

Lily felt dizzy. She could hear voices around her. She tried to open her eyes and sit up, but she fell back down and her vision was blurry. Lily groaned.

"I think she's waking up." Alice said, and all the people, six to be exact, around the bed moved closer.

"Where- where am I?" Lily grumbled.

"In the hospital wing." Alice said gently.

"Wha' am I doin' here?"

"You fell off your broom." Sirius pointed out, laughing.

"That's not funny." Alice hissed.

"N-no, it's… bloody… hilarious!" Sirius choked out between laughs.

"That's it! What the hell re you doing here?" Alice's voice was rising.

"Um, well, I'm here as a member of the team." Sirius mumbled unconvincingly.

"Black, Emily is here, and Donna, and Charlie, and Frank, and me. We're all on the team, so, why're you really here?" Alice demanded.

"I- I'm going to go now… see ye!" Sirius called over his shoulder, hurrying out of the hospital wing's double doors.

"Idiot." Charlie said, as the girls rolled their eyes and turned their attention back to Lily, who was currently sitting up and holding her hand up to her head.

"My head hurts." She groaned.

"I don't doubt it. You got hit on the head twice." Emily said. Emily Allson was a tall girl, with long legs. She had long, dead straight blond hair and crystal blue eyes. Emily was in sixth year.

"Twice?" Lily asked in confusion.

"You don't remember? Once by the bulgur and once you fell." Donna replied. Donna Frayés was a short girl with short, curly brown hair and dark hazel eyes. She was in fifth year.

"Um, well, who won?" Lily required tiredly.

"We did." Alice whispered happily.

"Oh, good, but did I catch the snitch?" Lily wasn't sure.

"Of course you did, you don't remember that either? That's why you fell." Remus, who was in sitting in the corner, and didn't make his presence known 'till then. "It was bloody amazing, that dive you did, by the way. "

"How- how long h-have I b-been out o-of it?" Lily stumbled over her words.

"Two weeks." Alice said quietly, bowing her head.

"That was some crush, you know. I'm surprised you're alive." Charlie said matter-of-factly. Charlie Jonson was tall for his age, had brown hair and matching eyes, and he was a fourth year.

"Thanks Jonson, you make me feel so much better." Lily rolled her eyes.

"Well, Poppy's gonna be here to check on you soon, so we gotta go, get well." Donna said cheerfully.

"Alice, could you wait a sec?" Lily whispered.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Well, did… did any of them-" Lily nodded at the door, that was just closed behind Remus. "- see the scars?"

"No… but… um Poppy sort of did. She kept asking me about it, but then, after she said she's going to talk to Dumbledore about it, she stopped asking about it. I guess he told her, a long with the rest of the teachers and staff, 'cause some of the professors came to see you." Alice pointed out.

"Okay, well, thanks. I'll see you later" Lily yawned, her eye leads feeling heavy and her head etching.

As Alice left, Lily drifted into a long deep sleep.

* * *

Lily woke up to the sound of the door opening. She cracked one eye open to see who it was, but all she could see was a figure in a dark hooded cloak.

"Who's there?" Lily hissed.

"It's just me." Said the hooded fd igure, taking off the hood and revealing a black jet of messy hair and hazel eyes behind silver wire, round gasses.

"Oh, what are you doing here, Potter?" Lily required, rudely.

"Checking on you. You know, you could be a bit nicer to the person that saved your life." James said, plopping on the edge of Lily's bed and grabbing a handful of candy from the bedside table and putting it in his mouth.

"Saved my life?" Lily had a confused look on her face. "What do you mean?"

"Don't tell me that stopping you from falling off a broom from about a hundred feet high doesn't count as saving your life." James said, annoyed.

"You did that?" Lily tried to search her mind for the memory.

"Well, you saw me." James pointed out.

"I can't remember anything from the match." Lily whispered bashfully.

"You don't?" now James's voice was no longer annoyed, but concerned.

"No." Lily said sadly, she was really disappointed that she could not remember her first match as the Quiddich captain of the Gryffindor team.

"I'm sorry." James said, as though it was his fault.

"It's not your fault, it just happened."

"Well, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

"Good."

There was an awkward silence.

"You… you should go, you don't want to get in trouble." Lily said quietly, avoiding eye contact.

James chuckled, "I'm a marauder, Evans. I can handle another detention. I had zillions of detentions, another one can't hurt." He then looked at her thoughtfully, as if trying to decide something. "Besides, you trusted me with your secret, and I have no idea why, but I think I could trust you with one of my secrets."

He took a silver cloak out of is packet and rapped it around himself. Lily gasped as she saw James disappear in thin air, all but his head.

"Is- Is that an invisibility cloak?" James nodded. "Wow. They're really rare."

"They are. And you can't tell anyone, even Jessica doesn't know about it." James warned.

"You're acting like you don't know what I think of secrets, having one of the worst ones there are." Lily huffed, "Secrets are meant to be kept."

"Well, I don't think your secret is the worst there is. It doesn't have your whole life depending on it." James stated, thinking about Moony.

"maybe it's not the worst, but my life do depend on it. if it spreads, my step father is going to deny it, everyone is going to believe him, and then his going to murder me slowly and painfully." Lily looked down to her left shoulder, remembering very clearly the night Robert had told her that, shooting her in the shoulder as a warning.

"Oh…" James didn't say anything.

"Any ways, why are you here now? Why didn't you come during the day?" Lily questioned.

"I- I can't let people think I care, if I do, I'm ruined." James said.

"Why? How?"

"Um… well, you see, I'm supposed to be with Jessica, and if not, I'll- I'll be disowned." James looked at his feet. _How come I can tell Evans everything and I can't tell anyone else? Why do I feel so open around her?_

"Oh… why do you care?" Lily required. She would have been happy to be kicked out, then she would be free. She had tried to run away a few times, but was found and brought home after a day or two, and all she got was an extra beating.

"I care because I love my parents. If I'm disowned, then I won't be able to see them, and then what would Sirius and I do, live on the streets?" James seemed frustrate.

"Wait, what Black got to do with anything?" Lily was very confused.

"He was disowned last summer, and he's leaving at my place. My parent love him like they love me, they even told him to call them 'mum' and 'dad'."

"Well, they seem nice, so why would they disown you?"

"They won't. my grandmother will. I hate that old hag, she's almost as bad as Sirius's mum, and Sirius's mum is the devil himself." James joked.

Lily gave him a small smile, which he returned. The clock on the wall rang, it was midnight.

"You should rest. I'll see you soon." And with that he left.

* * *

Lily was let out of the hospital wing a week later. Every night while she was at the wing, James would come to visit her for an hour or so. On the morning she was let out, a bunch of Gryffindor boys were waiting for her along with Alice and Emily and Donna.

"Um, Guys, why are they here?" Lily whispered to the three other girls.

"they're your bodyguards. Since you won the game, the Slytherins are so pissed, they want revenge. So, as Gryffindors, it's our duty to protect echo there. You secured our chances to win the Quiddich Cup and the House cup, so we have to do everything to protect you from the Slytherins." Emily exclaimed happily.

"Right. Thanks guys, but I can take care of my self." Lily said.

"No, you can't. Lils, those guys don't play by the rules." Alice said, concerned. Lily was about to protest, but saw no point.

"Fine, but why does it have to be fifteen boys following me around?" Lily looked at all the fifth, sixth and seventh year boys. "Can't it be, like, one, or two?"

"Good point. I think three would do. How about we put it to a vote? Any volunteers?" Alice looked around her.

"How about the Marauders?" Frank suggested. "They're in her year, so it would be easier for them, they're in the same classed, almost."

"I'm okay with it." Sirius said.

"Me too." Remus said.

"I guess it's fine by me." James sighed, seeing no way out of it.

"I-" Peter started, but was cut off by Sirius.

"Pete's okay with it too, right?" Sirius exclaimed, glaring at Peter.

"R-right…" Peter replied shakily.

"Great, so it's settled. Can we go now?" One of the fifth year boys, Mathew Stevens, pleaded.

Donna glared at him before sighing, "yeah, you can."

All the boys besides the marauders and Frank walked off. None of them really liked Lily, she was like something untouchable, something you enjoy to look at, but you don't really want to get close to it, because it's dangerous.

"What's up with her?" Lily whispered to Emily nodding at Donna, who was still glaring at Mat.

"Mat used to be her boyfriend, and then she caught him cheating on her, with two other girls." Emily shook her head, "all three of the girls knew nothing of each other. Yesterday he broke up with her, saying she wasn't really the one for him and that he was too good for her."

"He said that?" Lily was furious, Donna was almost her friend. During the week she was in the hospital wing, Donna and Emily came to see her very often, and the three girls got to know each other better and they had such great time together. Lily has started to be nicer, but she still couldn't tell them about her secret. She might when the time comes, and she oped it would.

"Something of the sort." Emily sighed, sorry for her friend.

Lily looked at Donna, when she caught someone else looking at her. It was Remus, he was staring at Donna longingly, but Donna didn't seem to notice, nor did anyone else but Lily.

"Look." Lily nudged Emily on the side, pointing at Remus. Emily grinned mischievously.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Emily whispered excitedly.

"Tell me, do you thing Remus is better then that Mat guy?" Lily asked quietly.

"The marauders are the most wanted boys in school, they're legendary. No guy can be as good looking, smart, and as cool as them." Emily said.

"What do you think about hitting two birds with one stone? Wait, three birds, revenge Stevens, make Donna happy, and get Lupin a descent girlfriend. Alice told me all his girlfriends used him to get to Sirius or James, or just to be more popular."

"So true." Emily nodded. "What's the plan?"

"Okay, first of…"


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N- Sorry it took so long, I hope you enjoy it. **

**Chapter 9:The Letter.**

**Disclaimer- **_I own nothing._

**By- **_GinnyGal._

On a chilly Sunday morning, a few weeks after Lily was realised from the hospital wing, the latter was sitting with her three friends, accompanied by three of the marauders and Frank Longbottom, in the great hall, having breakfast.

The two groups have become very friendly to each other over the weeks that passed, since they have been hanging around together most of the time. The only one that was still wary of the new situation was Peter Pettigrew. He kept to himself most of the time, answering shortly and to the point whenever one of the girls tried to make a conversation with the fourth marauder.

On that morning, Lily and Emily were whispering to each other as usual, it seemed they haven't stoped doing so since the day Lily had left the wing. Alice was h having a chat with Remus, Sirius was talking to James about the new product the pranking shop in hogsmeads, Zonko's had just brought in from Japan, and Peter was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, a single owl flew through one of the large window and landed in the midst of the Gryffindor sixth years. The owl dropped a scarlet letter in front of Lily and took off.

"Uh-oh, it's a Howler. Cover your ears!" Sirius exclaimed.

"It's not a Howler. It's from my mother." Lily whispered, picking up the letter with shaky hands. Slowly, and carefully, she opened the envelope and read to the letter. Lily's face went paler with each word written. When the troubled girl has finally finished, she gave out a choking sob, dropped the paper in her hand on the floor and ran out of the hall.

James tried to pick up the letter, but Alice beat him to it, though James does get a glimpse of what's written in it, and reads it as quick as she can.

"Oh, no." Alice muttered, shaking her head with dismay.

"What do you mean 'Oh, no'? What does the letter say?" Remus enquired.

"She's moving." Alice whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

"Who's Moving? Where to?" Emily asked, concerned.

"Lily is moving to France on Christmas…" Alice blurted out.

"Oh, well, that's not so far away, Lily can still go to Hogwarts, can't she?" Sirius asked. Alice shook her head, the tears now flowing down her cheeks in two small rivers.

"What do you mean? Are they transferring her to Beauxbatons then?" Donna asked.

"No… They're taking her away and I'm never going to see my best friend ever again!" Alice sobbed. She than stood up, grabbed her stuff, and sprinted out of the Great Hall, clenching the letter in her fist.

"I'll go after her." Frank said, got up and left.

"We better go after Lily." Emily said, but as she was getting up, James grabbed her arm, pulling her back down.

"I think she'd prefer to be alone for now." He said. The other six stared at him in confusion, but than let it go.

* * *

Lily was not seen for the rest of the day. Alice was sitting next to window, staring out into the gray sky, a small colourful bird of red blue black and purple resting on her shoulder. The little bird looked as grim as its companion, its bright emerald eyes watery.

James didn't act himself either. He walked around and stared into space, ignoring his surroundings.

"I'm worried about them." Emily whispered during dinner. "Whatever it is that makes Alice think she won't see Lily ever again? I'm sure Lily's going to visit once in awhile. And why's James all upset?"

"I don't know about James, but Lily and Alice..." Remus said thoughtful. "Maybe we're missing something? I mean, have you ever wondered why Lily never went to a wizardry school before?"

"How do you know Lily never went to a wizardry school before?" Donna asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Once, last year, when we went to Dumbledore's office, a pile of files fell from his desk. I picked them up, and the top one was a fifth year exam, and at the top of the page, it read LE, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Remus confessed.

"I don't get it. What has that got to do with anything?" Sirius questioned in confusion.

"Why would she have Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry written on her test of she was attending another wizardry school?" Remus rolled his eyes. "I mean, have you ever written Durmstrang on your end of the year exam? And there is no other Le in our year."

"Uhhh… No, I guess." Sirius mumbled and went back to his roasted chicken and mashed potatoes.

"So, what are you saying?" Emily asks.

"I'm saying that something is wrong. How on earth did Alice know Lily was coming to Hogwarts? How and when did they become friends? How come Lily is better the any seventh year student when she never even went to a wizardry school?" Remus breathed out. "Why did she scream like she did when James put that curse on her at the beginning of the year? And what did that letter say to make Alice and Lily so upset? Because I bet my life it has more to it then just Lily moving to France."

"Remus, ol' pal," Sirius clapped Remus on the back. "I lost at 'I'm saying'."

Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius and then turned to James. "What do you say James, wouldn't you like to know the answers to those questions?"

James was staring at the dark ceiling, and did not act as though he heard any of what the people around him were saying. Come to think of it, he didn't appear to even notice they existed.

"James! JAMES!" Sirius wove his hand in front of his best friend's face.

"Ha? Oh, Sirius, sorry, you were saying?" James came out of his trance.

"I was just asking you if you'd like to know the answers those questions." Said Remus.

"Yeah, yeah… of course!" James exclaimed. "Wait, what questions?"

Rolling his eyes, Remus repeated the questions for James, who listening half- heartedly.

"Yeah, I would like to know that…" James mumbled, then getting up and leaving the room, his plate full and untouched.

"Something's wrong with him, really wrong." Donna muttered as Sirius took James's plat and scraped all the food on it onto his.

"ao ah white." Sirius said with his mouth full. After swallowing, he added, "Who would leave such good food, it a waste!"

"You are disgusting!" Emily said, hitting him on the side of the head.

"Ow! That hurt!" Sirius complained, robbing the offended spot.

"Baby…" Emily muttered.

"I am not a baby! I'm a mature man of sixteen, seventeen in two weeks." Sirius huffed.

"Dessert's coming up." Emily said in a sing- song voice.

"Oh, cookies!" Sirius exclaimed, grabbing a handful of chocolate-chip cookies And stuffing them into his mouth. Emily laughed. "Wha'?"

"See? Baby!" she pointed at his face, which was covered in crams and his shirt that was covered with gravy from the roast of before.

"Would you two stop it!" Donna hissed.

"She started!" Sirius exclaimed, pointing at Emily, and the same time she called "He started!"

"No, you did!" they yelled in unison. By that time, the whole student was watching them, and when the two arguing noticed that fact, they shouted together "Mind your own business people!" and the chatter in the hall immediately arose.

"You two are fighting like an old married couple." Remus snorted.

"We do not!" they called, got up and marched out of the hall.

"They are so going to end up together." Donna whispered.

"Tell me about it." said Remus, shaking his head.

* * *

The next day, Alice attended to all her classes and then disappeared. Lily on the other hand, did not come to any of her classes and was only found when Sirius stumbled into the Hospital wing by accident and saw her in one of the beds with high fever and pale skin, resting.

After Sirius told his friend where the girl in question was, James locked himself in his dorm room and refused to come out for neither launch nor supper. When it was finally after curfew, he fished out the invisibility cloak from his trunk and went to pay a visit to a certain sick red headed.

"Hey." James whispered into Lily's ear.

"Hey." she whispered back, opening her eyes.

"Wow, that was easy, it takes me half an hour to wake Sirius up, and whispering does not help. I have to scream my lungs out just to get him to stir." James chuckled. Lily gave a small.

"Why're you here James?" Lily asked, straight to the point.

"Can't I visit a beautiful young Lady who has fallen ill?" James replied, avoiding the truth.

"I know there's more then that." Lily looked into his eyes. "I can see it… in your eyes."

"Alright, so it's about yesterday morning." James admitted.

"About the letter." Lily stated.

"Yes…" James trailed off, avoiding eye contact.

"Well, yeah, you heard right, I'm moving to France." Lily said.

"I know that, I came about why you're moving." James pointed out.

There was a long pause, in which Lily looked directly into James's eyes, searching them for more. Finally, she spoke. "It's none of your business."

"I saw part of the letter." James muttered, looking at his feet.

"Which one?" Lily asked fearfully.

"The one that says that…you were…promised to someone." James had difficulty saying the sentence.

"You- you k-know th-that?" Lily stumbled over her words.

"If I read correctly, that is." James shrugged. "And by the look on your face, I take it I did."

"You shouldn't know that. You shouldn't know that." Lily kept repeating.

"You know, if you really didn't want anyone to know, you shouldn't have left the letter on the floor." James stated.

"Yes, but why you! Of all people, it had to be you! I mean, you know too much about me already!" Lily panicked.

"Well, you shouldn't have told me so much then!" James exclaimed, fierce. "And at least I'm better then one of the Slytherins!"

"keep your voice down!" Lily hushed him.

There was an awkward silence between the two, as James calmed down and Lily relaxed.

"So, who is it?" James finally broke the silence.

"Who's who?" Lily asked.

"The person you were promised to." James sighed.

"Promised? Oh… you mean who my mother sold me to." Lily stated. "Er… I don't really know. Someone rich, I guess."

"You're saying it as if it's not a big deal, as if it's the most normal thing in the world." James pointed out.

"Well, I'm getting used to it, after spending two whole days moping about it. Yesterday I was hoping to catch cold and then get seriously sick, and then die, but Madam Pomfrey didn't let me go that easily." Said Lily. "I guess I always knew my mother would sale me one day, in the back of my mind."

"You scare me sometimes." James shook his head. "But I know what you mean. I was promised to Jessica since I was toddler. I still can't live it down."

"Yes, but at least you know who you're marring and what she is like." Lily whispered sadly. "I don't even know his name, or how old he is. His is probably some rich old man that was married seven times and has twenty children. Or maybe someone who would abuse me, like my stepfather, my mother would love that."

"Don't think like that. No matter who he is, just remember you always have people who care about you." James comforted.

"Yeah, Like who? My mother?" Lily snapped.

"No," James said, hurt in his eyes. "Like Alice, Donna and Emily. Like your dad and your sister. Like…me."

"And what good is that?" Lily exclaimed sadly. "I'm never going to see them again! I'm never going to see you again! I going to live far away, with a husband that bought me, and he probably won't let me see anyone of them, or you…"

"Please stop it, Evans." James said. He was feeling depressed and what his Quiddich captain was saying didn't make him feel any better.

"I should get some sleep." Lily said.

"Yes, you should." James muttered.

"G'night" Lily mumble as she drifted off.

"Good night." James whispered, kissed the top of her head, and tiptoed out of the hospital wing.

* * *

_Lillian,_

_Your father and I know now that the Hireson family is part of your freak world. Therefore, I mad sure you are never to see them again. You are to come home on Christmas Holidays and I shall accompany you on your journey to London, where you will meet your future husband. I am personally fond of the kind sir and he was willing to pay a fortune for your engagement._

_Sincerely,_

_Your mother._

Lily read the letter over and over again, though by now, the writing was barely visible for the paper was tearstained all over.

It was about three days after Lily left hospital wing. She was lying on her bed, reading the letter and Emily was getting ready for Quiddich practice.

"Come on Lily," Emily said. "We have practice now."

"I'm not coming." Lily sighed.

"Lily, how can we have practice without our captain? That's ridiculous." Emily pointed out.

"Dumbledore is going to have to assign Gryffindor a new captain. I'm moving." Lily answered.

"Maybe you should talk to your parents. I'm sure they'll understand if you said you want to stay at Hogwarts." Emily tried to cheer her.

"They won't." Lily whispered.

"Alright, that's it!" Emily exclaimed, grabbing the letter in Lily's hand.

"Hey, give that back." Lily called and started chasing her friend around the dorm.

"Not until I read it!" Emily called back as she shut the bathroom door behind her and put every locking spell she knew on it.

On the other side of the door, Lily was trying every spell she knew to unlock it. It took her a minute to find the right spell, but a minute was all Emily needed to finish reading the letter.

As the door finally opened, Lily could tell Emily knew.

"Lily! I'm so sorry!" Emily exclaimed, hugging her friend tightly, tear in her eyes.

"It's alright, Emily. It's not your fault." she hushed her crying friend.

"Oh, Lily, why didn't you tell us?" Emily asked.

"I- I didn't want to bother you with it." Lily sighed.

"Lily! We're your friends, we care about you!" Emily scolded.

"I just- I don't know- worried, I guess." Lily said bashfully.

"Worried of what?" Emily questioned.

"I- I don't know." Lily admitted.

"So… can I tell Donna?" Emily asked hopefully.

"I guess, but no one else. That's the last thing I need, the whole school knowing about it." Lily muttered.

"Well, come on, we still have practice." Emily pointed out.

"I'm not in the mood. You're captain for now." Lily said.

"Okay, bye." Emily said as she exited the room.

* * *

"Evans. Evans!" Lily woke up. A familiar voice called her name, but she couldn't see anyone around. Well, anyone awake, at least.

"Evans, it's me!" recognizing the voice to be James's, she looked around to see where it came from. Suddenly, James's head appeared in midair. Lily gasped.

"Don't do that, ever again!" Lily scolded quietly

"Sorry." James apologized.

"'S okay. What are you doing here?" Lily asked.

"Oh, I have to talk to you. But not here, anyone of those girls can wake up any minute. Come on, I know a place." James whispered, dragging her out of bed and under the cloak.

After they exited the portrait hole, Lily's curiosity got the better of her. "Where are we going?"

"To the Room of Requirements." James replied shortly.

"The what?" Lily asked, confused.

"You'll see soon." James answered.

Lily couldn't help but notice how close she and James were, and surprisingly, she didn't feel uncomfortable.

As they reached the seventh floor, James started walking back and forth alongside the brick wall.

"What are you doing?" Lily demanded when suddenly a door appeared in the wall. "What the…?" Lily gaped at the door that wasn't there just minutes before. "How did you do that?"

"Come on, I'll show you." James said, dragging her through the door and locking it behind him.

Inside, there were two comfy armchairs in front of a small lit fireplace. The room looked very much like the Gryffindor common room, with the red carpet, armchairs and wall curtains and golden pillows, just it was smaller.

James went and sat on one of the armchairs. Lily followed and sat in the one facing James. "So, what is this place?"

"The Room of Requirements, it does just that. It fits itself to your needs." James said. "But I need to talk to you about some more important matters."

"Like what?" Lily asked.

"Like how to get you out of this marriage." James pointed out.

"There's nothing you can do." Lily said.

"Evans, Evans, Evans. Tat- tat- tat. You're forgetting something." James said, as though he was talking to a four year old. "You are in the magical world. No muggle can get into it without a magical person's help."

"You have a point. But do you expect me to run away? I already tried, a few times, it's impossible." Lily stated.

"No, it's not. All you have to do is stay within a magical place, like Hogwarts, and you're safe." James said.

"But my parents know I'm at Hogwarts. They'll come and take me by force." Lily sighed.

"Muggles can't set a foot on the Hogwarts grounds." James supplied.

"Then they'll send a letter to Dumbledore saying they want me home for Christmas. He'd have to send me, they're my legal guardians." Lily whined.

"What makes you think that by being send away means you have to go to that house of yours?" James challenged.

"Well, where am I supposed to stay? In the streets?" Lily snapped. "I can't go to Alice's, that's the first place they'll look."

"What about my place?" James questioned.

"What about it?" Lily asked.

"Would you like to spend the Holidays at my place?" James suggested.

"Um… would that be okay by your parents? I mean, they don't know me, and there's Jessica, wouldn't she mind? And what about your grandmother? Wouldn't she think you're planning on ruining her plans and try to get rid of me?" Lily blurted out.

"Calm down. My parents would love you, as long as you're not playing Ice queen. I don't care about Jessica and as for my grandmother, I'm sure we can find a way to make it seem like we are not together." James assured her.

"Okay, fine, what's the plan then?" Lily asked.

"You are going to…"


	10. Chapter 10

**_A/N-_** Sorry it took me so long, I was very busy for the last few months. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

**Chapter 10: Christmas Shopping.**

_"Calm down. My parents would love you, as long as you're not playing Ice queen. I don't care about Jessica and as for my grandmother, I'm sure we can find a way to make it seem like we are not together." James assured her._

_"Okay, fine, what's the plan then?" Lily asked._

_"You are going to…"_

_**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**_

"Finally! Freedom!" Sirius ran out of the last class of the day.

"Sirius, it's only Christmas break." Emily reminded him, rolling her eyes. "And you have a three foot long essay in Potions."

"A twelve inches essay in Charms." Alice added.

"And a foot and a half Transfiguration essay." Remus finished, smiling victoriously.

"Evil…" Sirius hissed through gritted teeth.

"I can't believe I have to act as your girlfriend for two weeks. Sirius Black's girlfriend! For two weeks!" Lily exclaimed in a whisper.

"Hey! Just so you know, I'm the most wanted guy in this school. I happened to be very attractive and charming." Sirius huffed.

"You're not charming, as for being attractive, that could be put into a debate, I mean, girls are also into intelligent guys. That's not your strong side." Emily said matter-of-factly.

"I'm at the top of our year!" Sirius defended himself.

"Lily is at the top of our year." Alice put in.

"So I'm second. Still!" Sirius exclaimed. He couldn't deny Lily being better then him.

"I think you're sixth." Donna joined the conversation. "After Remus, Potter, Alice and Emily."

"I don't care what you thin-." Sirius muttered, but was cut off by Emily.

"Thank you Donna, you took the words out of my mouth. Oh, wait, except the part where Sirius is right after me. I think the Ravenclaws are also better." She pointed out.

"I guess…" Donna shrugged and went to talk to some of her friends in her own year group.

"So, Evans, ready to fool my family?" Sirius asked.

"No. You'd have to stop calling me Evans, call me Lily. And they are not your family, they're Potter's." Lily pointed out.

"Sirius is practically part of the family by now." James said.

"Oh… how come?" Lily asked.

"I was disowned." Sirius shrugged.

"Good for you." Lily said cheerfully. Sirius looked at her as if she grew a second head. "What?" She asked, puzzled.

"Well… usually people… are sad… don't think it's… never mind." Sirius shook it off and walked ahead to start another pointless argument with Emily and Alice.

"You know, you shouldn't act like that." James stated.

"Act like what?" Lily asked in confusion.

"Like family is the worst thing that can happen to a person." James sighed.

"Isn't it?" Lily asked in fake innocence.

"No, it isn't!" James exclaimed in frustration.

"Alright, then maybe it can be a good thing." Lily sighed in defeat.

"What's that? Was that Lillian Isabella Evans agreeing? Admitting she's wrong?" James teased.

"Yes, well, why don't you just literally put salt on the opened wounds?" Lily muttered.

"Fine, I'll stop."

"Thank you." Lily said formally and walked ahead and through the Great Hall's big double doors.

* * *

The train ride was mainly spent reading, chatting, playing Exploding Snap and sleeping.

When the train finally came to a stop in King's Cross Station, Alice woke everyone in the compartment up.

"Come on guy's! The train would start moving with us on it!" She exclaimed, as none of them were making any effort to get up and leave.

"Fine…" Emily muttered as she got up and collected her trunk. The others slowly followed suit, and finally, the Marauders, Lily, Emily, Alice, Donna, and Jessica were off the train and out back in the muggle world.

"Bye baby." Jessica said, and started sucking James's face before heading off to meet with her parents.

"Um… how are we getting to your house Potter?" Lily required nervously.

"I think my mum sent Joe to pick us up." James said, pushing through the large crowd to reach the parking lot. "Oh there he is!"

Lily followed with her eyes to where he was pointing. "You have a limo?!" Lily asked in pure shock.

"Oh, is that what it's called? Funny name." James shrugged. Lily stared at him as he got in the car.

Alice and Donna rolled their eyes, following James along with Peter and Remus, while Emily was busy arguing with Sirius again to notice.

"Come on Evans, we don't have all day." James called out of the opened window.

"Coming…" The latter muttered, dragging her trunk with her as she walked across the parking lot and into the long, white, expensive car.

* * *

"Lilikins… wakey wakey. Come on, my little flower, wake up now."

"Sirius, Shut up! You're going to wake her!"

"But we're arriving!"

"Yes, but do you really think she wants to see your face first thing when she wakes up?"

"Hey! Just so you know, I happened to be very atrac-"

"Oh, shut up! You two make so much noise I woke up already…" Lily mumbled as she sat up straight and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Oh, sorry Evans." James and Sirius said sheepishly in unison.

"Sirius, you're supposed to call me by my first name." Lily reminded him in a singsong voice. "Anyways, are we there yet?" The red head asked, looking out the window to see the view. The car was just pulling up into a wide, long driveway. On either side of the road was an amazing snow covered forest. As the driver, Joe, slowed down, Lily looked ahead to see a beautiful white manor.

"Nice place." Lily muttered, remembering her stepfather's house, which looked like hell compared to this place. Well, it was hell as it is. "Potter, are we going to stand outside in the cold? Because, I don't mind catching a cold, I just worry I might have to take care of Alice while she's sick, she gets really irritating when she's ill, you know." Alice glared at Lily and then smacked her over the head. "Aw!"

"Serves you right!" Alice huffed.

"Alright, no cat fights now!" James exclaimed.

"Why, Prongs? Let them fight! I'm betting ten Galleons Ev- er… Lily wins." Sirius winked at her.

"Sirius!"

"Shut up, you dolt!" Emily called, hitting him over the head.

"Aw…"

"Okay, let's go inside before Emily kills him." James said, leading the way to the front door.

"Mum? Dad? Are you home?" James's voice echoed in the big hall as the Marauders and the girls followed him in.

"You're back already!" A beautiful woman in her mid forties hurried down the long flight of stairs, her long white dress and dark redish brown hair flowing behind her as she moved. When she finally reached the bottom of the steps, she rushed towards the group of teenagers standing at the other end of the hall. It seemed like she was going to hug James; but instead, she walked right past him and embraced Sirius into a big hug.

"Jeez, thanks mum. Glad to see you too." James muttered in irritation. Mrs. Potter did not even notice he spoke. The girls and the two other marauders tried to stiff their laughter as they watched James go on about how his mum completely forgot he existed. "I mean, her only son! She hasn't seen me for over three months! You'd think she'd at least say hi, but noooo…" he kept on muttering.

"Sirius! Are you hungry? I'll have Mimmy make you all your favourites. Oh, look at that hair! You must get a haircut before you go back to school. And about school, how are classes, are all the teachers nice to you sweetheart? Because one word from you, and I pull some strings. They'll be out of there before you could say Merlin. You know that, don't you, hun?" Mrs. Potter spoke so quickly, Sirius barely understood.

"I'm fine Mrs. P, really." Sirius flashed a charming grin.

"Oh, Sirius, you're such a charmer. And how many times have I told you to call me Mum, stop being a stranger." She said cooingly.

"I'll do my best. These are, Alice Hireson, Emily Allson, Dona Frayés and Lily Evans, my girlfriend." Sirius said, pointing at each one as he said her name.

"Oh, it is great to finally meet you girls. I heard much about you from the boys' letters." Mrs. Potter exclaimed, hugging each one of them, making sure to hold on to Lily the longest. "It is so nice to have some girls in the house, you have no idea what it is like to be the only female with those boys." She said in a low voice, nodding with her head in the direction the boys were standing.

"We're glad to be here, Mrs. Potter." Alice smiled at the kind woman.

"Please, call me Isabelle." James's mother said.

"Alright." Emily smiled politely.

"Well, don't stand next to the door all day, come inside and make yourself at home." Exclaimed Isabelle.

As they passed by James, His mother finally noticed his muttering, since he has been repeating how his mom ignored him over and over. "Oh James, be quiet, for Merlin's sake. Go and clean up your room now, darling."

"But… mom, I just got here, my room can't be messy. Can't you even say 'hi' to your only son?" James pointed out.

"Oh, you have? Oh well, then go arrange rooms for our guests." Isabella ordered her son. "And I have two sons." She added.

James rolled is eyes "Your only biological son. And why can't Mimmy do it? Or any of the other house elves?" James whined childishly.

"Because the house elves are making lunch, now go show each of the girls to her room. They should sleep in the three bedrooms on the second floor. You boys know were your bedrooms are." Mrs. P told her son, and with a swish of her wand, the luggage was gone. "It will be waiting for you upstairs. Oh, and welcome home Jamey sweety." She smiled, and walked to the kitchen, to tell the house elves the menu for lunch and dinner.

"I like your mother." Lily said.

"Thanks, glad you do." James replied.

"I was talking to Sirius." Lily said matter of fact-ly. The others tried to stiff their laughter, and when nobody was looking, Lily grinned at James and her eyes twinkled with mischief.

* * *

After the girls were shown to their rooms, and the group was all settled in, the teenagers walked downstairs for lunch. They all enjoyed their meal, though it appeared they would not meet Mr. Potter for a few days, because he was out of the country helping the French Ministry of Magic clean up an attack and won't be back until Christmas Eve.

After lunch they all decided to floo for last minute Christmas shopping at Diagon Alley, eat dinner at the Leaking Cauldron and then head back to the Potter's Manor.

When they reached Diagon Alley, The Marauders went one way and the girls went the other, since it was agreed that boys and girls should not shop with each other, so they set for the two groups to meet at the Leaking Cauldron at half past seven.

"Lets go into Mandy's Designs to pick our gowns for the Christmas Ball!" Donna squealed in excitement.

"Wait! There's a ball? As in, a dance?" Lily required slowly.

"Yeah, didn't James or Sirius mention it to you?" Emily asked.

"I can't remember…" Lily frowned, thinking back.

"Well, it's the annual Potter Christmas Ball. And we have to pick a gown for the New Year's Eve celebration." Emily informed her.

"Two dances?! But I can't dance! Not to mention I can't afford a gown, never mind two!" Lily whined.

"Don't worry, you have enough time to learn dancing, we'll help, and we'd also figure out how to pay for your dresses, now you just relax and enjoy your time shopping." Alice promised, dragging Lily by the arm into the most expensive designer gowns shop in Diagon Alley.

As the four girls walked into the store, a nice looking middle aged woman greeted them and led to a room that looked like the Gryffindor Common room, with the red couches and curtains, the warm fireplace and the golden pillows. "I'm Elizabeth, and I will be your assistant and adviser for your stay here." The middle aged woman introduced herself kindly, with a warm smile spreading across her beautiful face.

"Great, I think Emily should go first." Alice said. "And the Donna, me and Lily should be last."

"Whatever. What color would look best on Emily?" Donna asked, looking at Emily with concentration.

"I think blue is the right color, either very light crystal blue or midnight sky kind of blue." Lily replied. "The other color that would look nice on you is pink, but I bet all the money in Gringotts that Smith is going to wear pink, and the last thing you need is to wear the same kind of clothe as she does."

"I agree, and I really like blue." Emily nodded.

"So blue it is!" Donna squealed.

"Well then, I will bring out the blue gowns that I think would fit you. If you don't like any of them, we would work out a solution later on." Elizabeth addressed Emily with a smile.

"Alright then," Emily said. Elizabeth disappeared, coming back with a huge pile of blue fabric of all shades.

"Those are the first few, I'll go bring more when you're done trying those ones on." Elizabeth explained, handing Emily the first gown.

After Emily tried on almost every blue dress in the store, she decided on a midnight sky blue full length gown with silver patterned shoulder straps tied behind her neck. The dress flowed down to the floor elegantly, hugging her body gently, had a square neckline and no back.

"Now Donna, what color would you wear?" Alice asked.

"I like green." Donna replied.

"Yes, green would look nice on you, and I think I know which dress would suit you the best" Elizabeth told her, rushing out of the door, only to come back inside a moment later with a forest green gown in her hand. She handed the dress to Donna, how quickly grabbed it and went to change. As Donna came out of the changing room she knew that was the dress she wanted. It was an exotic looking gown, with thick shoulder straps creating a V neckline. The dress hugged her body, flowing down to her ankles at the front and reaching the floor at the back. It complimented her very much and made her look older and taller.

"I love it!" Donna exclaimed.

"You look great!" Emily commented.

"Thanks!" the younger girl squealed.

"That was short." Lily joked, looking at Emily.

"Oh, come on, I didn't take that long!" Emily called.

"You sort of did…" Alice pointed out.

"Shut up!" Emily said, taking a golden pillow and throwing it at Alice.

"Hey! Lily started it!" Alice protested.

"Oh, be quiet." Lily said, "It's your turn to pick a dress, and I say you go with purple. Dark purple."

"How did you know I wanted purple?" Alice asked in fake shock.

"'Cause it is you favourite colour." Lily pointed out, rolling her eyes.

After Alice tried on a few dresses, she found the one she liked. It was simple yet elegant, flowing down to the floor with off the shoulder sleeves.

"Now it's Lily's turn." Said Emily.

"But I've told you, I can't afford one." Lily exclaimed.

"Then we'll pay." Her friends uttered in unison.

"I can't accept that." The red-head protested.

"Think of it as a Christmas gift to you." Alice said.

"Alice, you bought me a Christmas gift ten months ago." Replied Lily.

"No I haven't!"

"Yes, you have."

"No I haven't!"

"Yes, you have."

"No I haven't!"

"Yes, you have."

"No I haven't!"

"Yes, you have."

"How do you know?" Alice finally gave up.

"A little bird whispered in my ear." Lily claimed mischievously.

"Mother!" Alice hissed through gritted teeth, as though her mother was really standing in front of her.

"Fine, we get it, we're not paying, just try the dresses on and we'll figure out a way of paying for the one you choose." Emily reassured.

"Fine." Lily sighed. "What colour should I wear?"

"I think red, to match your hair." Donna said, "Or green for your eyes. But you can't wear green, I'm wearing green"

"No, red and green are also Christmas colours, she can't wear that, everyone would wear it." Alice reasoned.

"How about gold than?" Emily suggested.

"Can't have that, she wore gold for the Masquerade." Dona reported.

"Oh, right."

"White!" Alice exclaimed.

"Good." Emily said, going over to tell Elizabeth.

In the meanwhile Lily was watching them from the side, snickering as the three girls argued and discussed such an unimportant matter.

At last Elizabeth entered the room with a pile of white dresses. Alice picked up the one on the top and handed it to Lily, pushing her into the changing room. After trying several dresses, Lily got frustrated.

"I don't want to try on all the gowns in the store. Just pick one out for me." Lily whined.

Emily and Donna rolled their eyes and started digging in the big pile, while Alice mysteriously left the room.

After a few minutes, Emily pulled out a dress from the pile and handed it to Lily, saying "I think this one will be perfect."

It was a snow- white dress with a chiffon knotty hanging at the one shoulder strap, shirred at one side of the waist with hanging ruffled hi-lo hemline and a fishtail hem at the back.

"I love it!" Lily exclaimed. She looked at the price and gasped. "I can't buy that, it's 1000 galleons!"

At that moment Alice re-entered the room. "Go try it on." She ordered, pushing her best friend into the changing room once again.

When Lily stepped out of the small room, Alice smiled, saying "You look stunning! Don't worry about the price, it's payed for. Change back and we'll go look for nice Christmas presents for the Potters and the Marauders."

"Why?" Donna asked.

"Because we're guests, and it's not polite not to do so." Alice answered.

The girls left Mandy's Designs, looking around for a gift shop. They were about to enter one of the bookstores to buy books for Remus when someone grabbed Lily by the arm and dragged her away from her friends. She screamed for help, but nothing came out, she was under the silencing charm. Unfortunately for the person dragging her, Lily was walking hand in hand with Alice, so that when she was pulled forcefully away, Alice turned to see what the cause was, and started screaming for help. The people around turned to see the panicking girl being dragged by a tall man with a firm grip.

Someone came from behind him and pointed a wand at his neck "Let her go." He said harshly.

Lily recognized the voice to be Frank Longbottom. She felt the grip on her hand loosen a little and managed to pull herself free, turning to face the man who attempted to drag her away to Merlin knows where. She gasped, recognizing the face of the man standing there with a wand to his neck.

It was her stepfather.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N- **_Hey everyone, thanks for the reviews, I usually don't get that many!_

_People, I know I'm a bad speller in general, but especially in English, since it's my second language and I've only been speaking it properly for three years, and am not studying it properly at school, so I am using this story to improve. I don't know if you've noticed but I have less mistakes then earlier chapters. Anyways, that probably doesn't interest you, I just pointed it out because I got a few reviews saying I need to learn how to spell, so, yeah…_

_Enjoy the chapter! R&R! GG_

**Chapter 11: Merry Christmas, Mrs. Potter. **

_Someone came from behind him and pointed a wand at his neck "Let her go." He said harshly._

_Lily recognized the voice to be Frank Longbottom's. She felt the grip on her hand loosen a little and managed to pull herself free, turning to face the man who attempted to drag her away to marlin knows where. She gasped, recognizing the face of the man standing there with a wand to his neck. _

_It was her stepfather._

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

Lily walked back in horror, stumbling to the ground as she saw the wand in the tall man's hand.

"Put the wand down, boy." Robert said in a low dark voice. Frank lowered his wand as he felt the wand of the man pointing at his stomach.

"But you- you c-can't b-be a…a…." Lily stuttered in fear, unable to finish the sentence.

"Can't be what? A wizard? Why ever not?" her stepfather replied, dark humour in his voice.

"You- you are a… a muggle, y-you can't come h-here." Lily muttered, shaking her head.

"I am here, foolish girl. Now get to your feet at this instant, your mother is waiting, you are to meet the Frenchman." Robert ordered.

"No!" Lily exclaimed, feeling her courage coming back to her. She pointed her wand at him. "I won't come!"

"What are you going to do with that? Poke me in the eye?" He laughed coldly. "You are underage." He finally pointed out.

"Then do you intend to kidnap me with a hundreds of people around as witnesses?" Lily demanded.

"Kidnap is a harsh word for a father taking his daughter." Robert said.

"You are not my father and you were not taking me, you were dragging me without my free will. That is not what I call fatherly gesture." Lily informed.

"I am your stepfather and parents don't always do what is according to their children's free will." The man replied icily.

"Yes, so they drag them around when they are six, not sixteen! I won't come with you and if you try it is would be called child abuse, would it not?" Lily tested.

"You come with me young lady, I am losing my patience with your nonsense." Robert ordered.

"As I said, I'm not going anywhere." Lily replied.

"You'll regret this." He warned.

"Would I?" Lily challenged.

Robert did not answer; he just glared at her for a few moments. "This isn't over." he finally said, then turned and left the alley.

The crowd that gathered started to break away. Lily walked towards her friends shakily.

"Was that your stepfather?" Frank asked in dismay.

"Unfortunately." Lily replied shortly.

"A nice guy." Came the sarcastic voice of Sirius Black from behind them. They all turned to face the marauders.

"Did you enjoy the show then?" Lily asked Sirius coldly, pushing past him on her way to the Leaking Cauldron.

"Wrong move, padfoot." Remus muttered.

"What did I do?" Sirius asked in wonder, staring as they and walked past him, shaking their heads.

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"Lils, calm down!" Alice exclaimed.

Lily was walking back and forth across the room muttering things to herself like a madwoman. They were back in the Potter's Mansion, and it was about eleven at night.

"How can I?!" She retorted in frustration.

"It's over, you're safe now!" Alice reassured.

"No! Don't you see Alice, he can come and get me. I thought I was safe in the magical world, but I'm not! He is part of it!" Lily snapped, and then went back to her muttering, "How come I didn't notice? How did he hide it so well?"

"Lily- I-" Alice didn't know what to say, she knew her friend was right and she was also scared herself

"Go, I need to sleep it down, I might be nicer in the morning." Lily said. Alice did not argue and left, shutting the door behind her.

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Lily did not get out of her room the next day. A house elf brought her food, but when he came to take the tray, he found it untouched on the place he left it.

She refused to talk to anyone, and whenever someone knocked on her door they were greeted by silence and when they to open the door, they found it looked.

The next day was not much different. The only one that got some sort of acknowledgment form her side was Sirius, who woke up to find a gigantic present wrapped in gold wrapping paper at the foot of his bed. It had a matching gold birthday card that read-

_"Dear Sirius,_

_Happy Birthday!_

_I hope you like it, use it well._

_Love, Lily. _

_PS don't you dare use it on me,_

_because I will revenge."_

He ripped off the wrapping paper and opened the box to see its contents. It was full with every kind of Muggle prank item from rubber chickens and vomit to a handshake buzzer and a fart balloon.

Sirius was so happy he forgot everything and started pranking anything in sight for the rest of the day, adding black powder to Emily's tee so her teeth turn black, putting fake worms in Peter's breakfast, putting itching powder in Donna's closet, adding a rubber chicken into the soup and creating a rain of sticky snowflakes in the main hallway.

"Sirius!" Emily screamed when she found out that the black wouldn't come off her teeth until New Years Eve. It was Just before Sirius's birthday dinner when he was to get his presents from his friends and frm the Potters.

"What?" Sirius asked innocently.

"You know what! Change them back!" Emily exploded in anger.

"Change what back?" he asked sheepishly.

"My teeth!"

"I rather like them that way. Anyway, I can't change them back, it's not magic." He said victoriously.

"Then what is it?" Emily demanded in rage.

"Muggle." Sirius shrugged.

"How did you get mu… Lily!" Emily shouted.

At that moment Lily walked I the room, pale, with black circles under her puffy red eyes from lack of sleep. When she saw her friends black teeth, she cracked up and started laughing uncontrollably.

When at last she calmed down, trying to catch her breath, she pointed out "I see you did put my present into good use."

Sirius smiled like a child pleasing his proud mother. "I did! Did you see the sticky snow in the hallway, or how Donna's itching all over from the itching powder, and you should've seen Wormtail when he found the fake worms in his food!" Sirius blurted out, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the main hallway.

They were stopped when Emily took hold of her other hand and demanded "I want my teeth back white today!"

"But I think they're lovely!" Sirius retorted.

"I don't care what you think!" Emily exclaimed.

"Shut up!" Lily interrupted. "Come with me and I'll help you take it off."

"But it's my prank!" Sirius complained.

"I wouldn't do it normally, but tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and there's the ball, so it's not fare for Emily. Though it would match your dress…" Lily faded off.

Sirius gave a sigh of defeat and walked over to the dining room.

After giving Emily the proper mouthwash for the black teeth, telling her she would have to wash it for ten minutes that night and ten minutes the next morning, Lily went downstairs to the dining room to join her friends or the birthday dinner.

"Well hello to you." Mrs. Potter said kindly "Are you feeling any better my dear?"

"Yes, thank you." Lily said quietly and took a sit at the end of the table, next to Alice.

"Sorry." She mumbled so only Alice would hear.

"'S alright. You were right to be worried. Glad you're here." Alice smile, adding "You shouldn't worry, we're here for you."

"Thanks." Lily replied.

"Lilikins!" Sirius exclaimed. "Let's see if any of them got me as good a present as you did." He winked at her.

"Padfoot, do us all a favour and open the presents." James, who was sitting next to him, cut the flirting out.

"Jealous much, Jamesy?" Sirius asked him cheekily in a low voice so that only James could hear.

James did not answer and resisted the urge to hit the birthday boy on the head.

Sirius grinned and went to his presents. The top one was from Remus. He opened it and found. "A book." He said, looking at it oddly.

"Open it." Remus said.

Sirius did so, looked, and saw animated pictures of people with skin in every colour from dark blue to bright pink in all kinds of patterns, animal ears and tails. Under each picture he found instructions as to how to create the potion or do the spell for it.

"You like it?" Remus asked.

"It's bloody awesome!" Sirius exclaimed. "Hey Prongs! This is the spell Lilikins used on you at the beginning of the year!" James went bright red with embarrassment when he saw the picture, recalling how hard it was to get rid of the purple skin and donkey ears.

"I thought it looked nice on you." Lily shrugged and her friends burst in laughter at the memory.

"Thanks Evans." James huffed.

"Not at all." She replied sweetly.

"Did you know the spell itched?" James demanded.

"It doesn't itch, liar! If you need proof, there!" she pointed at the part of the instructions where it said the spell does not have any side affects.

"Well it did itch!" James defended.

"Okay, next present." Sirius said quickly, leaving the two to their stupid argument and snatching the next one off the pile. It was from Alice. He did not waste time and ripped the wrapping paper to reveal a camera. Sirius immediately snapped a shot of James and Lily arguing about the spell she put on him so long ago.

"That's a good one." Alice smiled, knowing Sirius would put her present into good use.

"Yeah, I like it too. Thanks." He said, and then took another shot of Alice smiling before moving to the present from Mr. and Mrs. Potter. He opened the box and took out a pair of fine Quiddich gloves.

"Thanks, Mum. They're perfect!" Sirius said happily, putting the gloves on. Isabelle smiled in satisfactory at her right choice for a present.

Sirius went to the rest of his presents. The pile was very big, but most of it was from his fan club, all wrapped in pink, so he dug through and found another present from his friends.

"A bottle." He said in disappointment, turning it around to see what was written on the front "Shampoo and conditioner 2 in1 against flees for dogs." It also had a picture of a great black dog with silky fur.

"You always say that it's annoying to use shampoo and then conditioner because of your long hair." James shrugged.

"But Jamey," Mrs. Potter said, "this is for dogs. Why ever would you get Sirius a shampoo for dogs?"

The marauders burst in laughter at the woman's wonder.

"Don't worry mate, you'll get a great present from me on Christmas." James clapped Sirius on the back.

"Open my present now." Peter said eagerly, handing him a small badly wrapped package. Sirius took it and inside he found a strange black electrical item with a black plastic handle.

"Wormtail, what is that?" Sirius asked.

"It's for the hair. The shopkeeper said it's good for long straight hair." Peter said excitedly.

"Yyes, but how do I use it." Sirius required.

"I- well, I don't know." The plump boy answered

"Peter, that's a hair curler." Lily pointed out, adding "For girls."

"A- a what?"

"An electrical hair curler. It's what muggle girls use to curl their hair." Lily explained.

"Oh…" Peter said.

"Yeah… let's move to the next present." Sirius muttered. He got all his favourite candy from Donna, and a set of the newest prank items in England completed with a dozen dung bombs from Emily.

After eating their dinner and enjoying a nice pointless conversation by the fireplace, the group went to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Come on Emily!" Donna exclaimed. "The ball started ten minutes ago!"

Emily was applying her last minute make-up. "Don't rush me! Besides, it's good to be a little late, it makes a great entrance."

"Fine." Donna huffed and sat down next to Lily and Alice. Alice's hair was down and straight, while Lily put her red locks up in a simple hair-do with stands of little curls falling at the sides of her face and on her shoulders. Donna put little emerald butterfly clips in her short curls and Emily did her hair up in an elegant French twist.

"Okay, I'm done." She announced, getting up to leave the room.

"Finally." Donna muttered, getting up and leading the way downstairs. Half way down the stair case, Lily noticed that one of her earrings was missing.

"I lost my earring in your room Em. I'm going to go fetch it. Don't wait for me." She hurried back to the room and found the missing earring. Slowly she walked down the staircase again. Fear started taking over her, and something inside of her told her she mustn't enter that room- that she must go back to her room and stay there. She had just turned to head back to her room when a voice from behind stopped her.

"Where are you going?" Sirius asked.

"I- I don't feel very well." Lily muttered, turning to face her fake boyfriend.

Sirius smiled when he saw her snow white dress from the front. "You look great. Glad to see you have a good taste."

"What do you mean?" Lily looked puzzled.

"Alice didn't want me to see how you looked in the dress, so I just had to trust you." Sirius pointed out. "She made me leave before you got out of the changing room."

"You mean, it was you! You payed for it!" Lily exclaimed in astonishment.

"Rumus and me. Think of it as a Christmas present, well, part of your Christmas present from us."

"Thank you!" Lily grinned and hugged her date for the ball.

"Come on, we better get to the ball room." Sirius broke off and took her hand in his.

They walked down the rest of the stairs and entered the grand ball room. It was a magnificent room with a high ceiling and great glass doors leading to a beautiful snow covered garden and a frozen forest beyond.

"Would you like to dance?" Sirius offered.

"I'd love to." Lily smiled.

They twirled around the dance floor, chatting and laughing. To the people around them, they seemed like a sweet, happy couple, but they knew that all there was and ever will be between them is a good brother-sister friendship.

After a few songs, James interrupted. "Sirius, do me a favour and dance with Jess for a while. I can't take it for much longer." He hissed.

Sirius looked around and caught sight of Jessica. She was wearing a pink strapless dress with a low sweet heart neckline, a white fur trim, a mermaid hem and a long split along her left leg reaching almost to her hip.

"Um… no thanks, I'm good here with my Lilikins." Sirius said but changed his mind when he saw the glare he was receiving from James.

"Fine…" He sighed and walked over to Jessica, who looked confused but not at all disappointed or mad.

"Hey Siri!" She squealed, taking his hand and starting to dance immediately. "So what do you think of my dress?"

"It's… um… eye catching." Sirius said.

"Oh, thanks! It's real fur from an English Magical white fox." She explained proudly.

"Aren't those endangered?" Sirius asked in disgust.

"Yes, it was so hard to find this dress. It cost a fortune too…" Sirius blocked her voice and glared at James, thinking of how to revenge.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the mean while, James and Lily danced in silence slowly at the outskirt of the dancing floor. "You look beautiful." James whispered softly in her ear, his warm breath upon her bare neck. Lily blushed slightly and rested her head on his shoulder.

After two songs James sighed, "We better go back to Sirius and Jess. She might get suspicious."

"With that bird brain of hers, I'm surprised she recognizes you when you walk past." Lily muttered.

James chuckled at the comment but broke apart from her unwillingly, saying, "Come on, Sirius and I still have to introduce you to the family."

They wandered around the room looking for Sirius, smiling and greeting the people they passed. Finally, Sirius appeared, followed by a mad Jess. She did not see James dancing with Lily, but she was mad when she saw them standing together. "What were you doing?" she demanded.

"What were _you_ doing with my boyfriend?" Lily demanded in return.

"Dancing." Jessica huffed "What's wrong with that?"

"Then I don't see why it was wrong for me to dance with James." Lily said coldly.

Jess did not know what to say, so she just stared at Lily angrily.

"Sirius, James, why don't you introduce me to your family?" Lily suggested.

"Okay, let's go." Sirius said hurriedly, taking her hand and walking as fast as he could from Jessica.

"I hate her!" he exclaimed when she was out of earshot.

"Don't we all?" James, who had just caught up with them, said.

The first person they ran into was Mr. Potter, a man in his middle age who looked exactly like James, with dark messy hair and mischievous hazel eyes that seemed to know everything, completed with round wire glasses.

He gave them a cheeky grin and asked, "Who might the beautiful lady be?"

"Lily Isabella Evans." Lily said in a confident voice, though a small blush flattered her cheeks.

"She's my girlfriend." Sirius added, putting an arm around her shoulder. It was more a brotherly gesture then a romantic one.

"I'm James's father, George Potter." He said.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Potter." Lily stretched out her hand to shake his. He took her hand, whispering so only she and Sirius could hear, "You don't fool me."

Lily looked at him in puzzlement while Sirius smiled knowingly.

"Well, goodbye for now." Mr. Potter said.

The three walked around the room, showing Lily the rest of Potter family and relations.

"What about your grandmother?" Lily asked James after some time.

"Do you really want to meet the old hag?" James sighed.

Lily nodded.

"Fine…" James said, walking over to table area.

James and Sirius led the way to a table they have been avoiding all night. At the table sat three people, an old woman with greying hair done up in a tight bun. She was slim and even though her youth had long since passed, she had a beautiful, undying look on her face. She had plenty of fancy jewels and wore an expensive black dress with a reddish brown fur trim.

Opposite her, with their backs to the three approaching teens, were two middle aged men in fancy suits, with dark hair striked by silver.

"James, my dear, I was just discussing your up coming marriage to dear Ms. Smith." She said in firm yet affectionate voice.

"Oh, um, it's kind of far off." James said.

"Yes, well, there have been some changes that we will discuss later, but first I'd like you to meet these two gentlemen over her." She said, singling for him to come and stand next to her. James did so reluctantly and looked at the two men facing his grandmother. His expression changed into a horrified look as he saw the familiar face.

"James, these are Mr. Jack Duboit from France and Mr. Robert Williams."

_**A/N**- I hope you liked it. I'm sorry but I'm not going to update for a month or so, because I'm going to have to put more effort into my school work for the final exams that I'm having right now, but I will try and update as soon as they are over._

_Sorry again_

_GG_


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